On Knowledge and Responsibility – Zhao Tingyang

The following passage is from a book by Chinese philosopher Zhao Tingyang:

As a question of epistemology Foucault talks of ‘knowledge/power’ relations, which is the political meaning of knowledge. But at the same time we also must stress the relations of ‘knowledge/responsibility’ as the theoretical meaning of knowledge. … Truth is not the highest judgment, truth must be good, truth must be responsible [i.e. bear responsibilities], because in the end what humanity needs it life, not truth.

(Zhao Tingyang, Tianxia tixi [The All-under-Heaven system], Nanjing: Jiangsu jiaoyu chubanshe, April 2005, pp. 5-6)

Professor Zhao is researcher of philosophy at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. Thanks to professor William A. Callahan for the tip.