Q0178
“Study problems, import theories, reorganize the national heritage, and recreate civilization.” — Hu Shi (The Meaning of the New Thought…)
Verified English quotation. Primary source: The Meaning of the New Thought et al.. Theme: society.
English
Study problems, import theories, reorganize the national heritage, and recreate civilization.
Source and attribution
The archive attributes this English wording to The Meaning of the New Thought et al. and files it under Pragmatism. That locator distinguishes the passage from loose internet attributions: readers can return to the named work or section to check translation, surrounding argument, and edition-specific wording.
About Hu Shi
Hu Shi (1891–1962) was a Chinese liberal pragmatist, vernacular literature reformer, and student of John Dewey at Columbia. A leader of the May Fourth New Culture Movement, he championed experimentalism, critical thought, and writing in baihua.
How to read this passage
Social philosophy asks how individuals and collectives constitute each other, and what justice requires of shared life. This passage enters that discussion through society.
Concepts in this quote
- Society
- Society is the web of institutions, customs, and mutual expectations in which individual freedom takes shape.
How to cite this quotation
APA: Hu Shi. (n.d.). Study problems, import theories, reorganize the national heritage, and recreate civilization. In Philosophy Blind Box. https://www.philosophydef.com/quotes/q0178
MLA: Hu Shi. “Study problems, import theories, reorganize the national heritage,….” Philosophy Blind Box, https://www.philosophydef.com/quotes/q0178.
Chicago: Hu Shi. “Study problems, import theories, reorganize the national heritage,….” Philosophy Blind Box. Accessed 2026. https://www.philosophydef.com/quotes/q0178.
Frequently asked questions
What is the source of the quotation “Study problems, import theories, reorganize the national heritage,…”?
The passage is attributed to Hu Shi, The Meaning of the New Thought et al.. The archive attributes this English wording to The Meaning of the New Thought et al. and files it under Pragmatism. That locator distinguishes the passage from loose internet attributions: readers can return to the named work or section to check translation, surrounding argument, and edition-specific wording.
What does Hu Shi mean by society?
Social philosophy asks how individuals and collectives constitute each other, and what justice requires of shared life. This passage enters that discussion through society.