ABSTRACT This essay has two purposes. One is to present a detailed analysis of a historical example to defend the validity of the idea of universal rationality. Although diverse arguments have been offered by philosophers in support of the universal character of rationality, there are only a few in-depth discussions of concrete historical examples. So, the historical analysis presented here will supplement the existing theoretical arguments for universal rationality. The other purpose is to reveal the nature of the relationship between universal rationality and Orientalism. It will be argued that Orientalism has been grounded not in the idea of universal rationality per se, but in linking universal rationality with truth by way of practical success. Orientalism was founded upon a kind of certainty about rationality’s truth-conduciveness that could be obtained only by defeating skepticism; however, that certainty, I will argue, is unwarranted. Therefore, as far as rationality is concerned, the problem with Orientalism is not that Europeans treated something local as universal but that they conferred upon universals an unwarranted certainty.

中文翻译：

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一张猫对抗霍乱的照片？从普遍主义的角度看历史的理性

摘要 本文有两个目的。一是对历史实例进行详细分析，以捍卫普遍理性思想的有效性。尽管哲学家们提出了各种论据来支持理性的普遍性，但对具体历史事例的深入讨论却寥寥无几。因此，这里提出的历史分析将补充现有的普遍理性的理论论点。另一个目的是揭示普遍理性与东方主义之间关系的本质。有人会争辩说，东方主义的基础不是普遍理性本身的观念，而是通过实践成功将普遍理性与真理联系起来。东方主义建立在一种对理性的真理导向性的确定性之上，这种确定性只有通过战胜怀疑主义才能获得；然而，我认为，这种确定性是没有根据的。因此，就理性而言，东方主义的问题不在于欧洲人将某些地方性事物视为普遍性，而是他们赋予普遍性一种无根据的确定性。