Journal of Northeastern University(Social Science) ›› 2021, Vol. 23 ›› Issue (6): 1-7.DOI: 10.15936/j.cnki.1008-3758.2021.06.001

• Scientific and Technological Philosophy •     Next Articles

Awe Is Distance: Revisiting Engels' Theory of Natural Revenge

WAN Changsong   

  1. (School of Marxism, Jiangnan University, Wuxi 214122, China)
  • Published:2021-11-18
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Abstract: Just entering the 2020s, human beings encountered a sudden COVID-19 pandemic, which has not yet completely ended. “The theory of natural revenge” is the core of Engels' ecological thought, and the COVID-19 pandemic is the nature's revenge on humanity in essence.“Revenge I” is the direct revenge of nature, namely the pandemic itself;“Revenge Ⅱ” is the indirect revenge of nature, namely the social amplification effect of the pandemic. We should not only take advantage of science and technology to actively respond to “Revenge I”, but also make use of the institutional advantage to actively prevent “Revenge Ⅱ”. Revisiting Engels' important thoughts in the dialectics of nature that nature may revenge human beings while human beings can understand and apply the natural laws correctly, which eventually cause the historical outcomes to accord with the intended purposes not only provides the philosophical basis for establishing the long-term effective mechanism of pandemic prevention, but also provides the theoretical guidance for the harmonious coexistence of human beings and nature.

Key words: F.Engels; dialectics of nature; theory of natural revenge; COVID-19 pandemic; long-term effective mechanism of pandemic prevention

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