T H E O L O G O S - Prešovská univerzita v Prešove

Bożena Drzewicka
The Asian approach excludes any endeavour to achieve an only truth
and to present it as universal. This is especially characteristic of China,
where no one perceives a contradiction in a simultaneous or subsequent
choice of Confucianism, Taoism or Buddhism. Such situations are
possible as, according to R. Kapuściński, “a great asset of the Chinese
ideology is its flexible and recounciling syncretism, resulting in the
integration of different schools, views and attitudes, whereby no harm
has ever been done to any core of a particular school. (…) but in the
event a compromise could be reached and followed by some form
of coexistence as well as by mutual contributions. 8 ”
In that civilization, a simultaneous functioning of many equal truths is
accepted. National development strategies substitute the “imperialist universalism”,
which the Chinese condemn 9 . The national strategies are usually
partial and concentrate on concrete issues. This leads to an unambiguous
cultural decentralization and a lack of interest in the binary model
reflected by the “centre-outskirts” system. Thus the adoption of the principles
of democracy or of the human rights can be accepted as a “useful
solution” in a partial situation. However, this does not result in a creation
of a sublime doctrine defended by the nation or the society. Confrontation
symptoms are typical of such perspectives. No similar situation
would be observed wherever the constitution is the guarantee of a “Charter
of Rights”, which is a fact in the case of Japan 10 . There is, though, an
evident difference between the constitution statements and the reality. As
a result, some façade institutions exist and are not objected to.
The Asian family structures were especially interested in “internal
affairs”. This interest contributed to a culture of peace, which concentrated
on human life. Such situation affected politics and the societies, as
well as the normative activity of the states. As a result, concrete and really
profitable measures were preferred. No sublime declarations or appeals
proved necessary. Nor were there any catalogues of justified and universal
rights, comparable to those known in Europe since the 18th century.
Thus, the Enlightenment way of thinking remained unknown in Asia as
did the European dichotomous divisions within each area of life. The origins
or the organization of the Western world did not interest too many
people in Asia, and this lack of interest was reciprocated. However, in the
8
R. Kapuściński, Podróże z Herodotem, Kraków 2004, p. 70-71.
9
For a detailed discussion see: A. Dirlik, The postcolonial aura: third world criticism in
the age of global capitalism, “Critical Inquiry” 1994, No 20, p. 329-55.
10
Cf. Y. Okudaira, The Australian and Japanese Constitution, in: P. Drysdale (ed.): H.
Kitaoji, Japan and Australia, Australian National University Press, Canberra, 1981, p.
170-185; Y. Okudaira, Ochrona praw człowieka w Konstytucji Japonii, in: Ochrona
praw człowieka w świecie, ed. by L. Wiśniewski, Bydgoszcz – Poznań 2000, p. 369-371.
24