From the Back Cover
Humankind's progress has always been driven by two momentums: the pursuit of truth and the creation of value. But our understanding of value, and our ability to reflect on its complexity, has long lagged behind our constant search for truth. This has, in turn limited our grasp of the essence of truth.
This book takes philosophical contemplations on value to a new level, while also explicating some contemporary Chinese styles of philosophical thought.
Over the past 25 years, this book has been having an increasing impact on Chinese readers and researchers, and it also provides a good platform for international dialogue on several key issues of philosophical studies.
The author of this book, Professor Li Deshun, was the deputy director of the Institute of Philosophy of Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, director head of the Department of Philosophy of the Graduate School, director head of the Center for Cultural Studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences; he is now a tenured professor at China University of Political Science and Law (CUPL), honorary director of the School of Humanities and Social Science, editor in chief of the CUPL Journal. Other social positions include deputy chairman of the Chinese Research Institute for Dialectical Materialism and concurrently president of the Value Committee and Value Society of China, standing committee member of Beijing Federation of Social Science Circles, deputy director of Beijing Society of Philosophy, reviewer of the National Social Science Foundation, reviewer of the Chinese Government Publication Book Award, reviewer of the Xiao Qian Philosophy Foundation Award, etc.; He has been invited to be a guest professor or honorary professor by Peking University, Fudan University, Wuhan University, Jilin University, Beijing Normal University, Zhejiang University, Nankai University, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Zhengzhou University and Southwest University of Political Science and Law, etc..
Prof. Li's major works are: Great Epistemological Tools (1981), Value Theory (1987, 2007), A New Theory on Value (1993), Self-choice: Life in the Eye of a Philosopher (1996), Civil Morality Reader (1996), A Collection of Writings: An Anthology of Philosophy of Li Deshun (1998), Word Traps: An Anthology of Li Deshun's Essays (1999), Homeland: Framework of Cultural Construction (2002), A Study of Deng Xiaoping's Values of Man's Subjectivity (2004), A New Value Theory (2005), A Theory on Moral Value (2005), Advancing with Reform: Philosophical Reflection on the Line of Reasoning of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics (2008), Spiritual Home (2010), etc.
Prof. Li is also the editor in chief of: Translation Collection of Value Theory (Twelve volumes, 1988-1991), Value Theory Dictionary (1994), Life Value Series (Eleven volumes, 1996), Practical Value Series (Ten volumes, 2005), A Study of the Category of Marxist Philosophy (2009), An Outline of Philosophy (2010), etc.
