The pandemic between China and Europe A critical review of François Jullien’s concept of hygiene

Abstract

The French sinologist and philosopher François Jullien aims to bring different cultures as well as different theories into a productive vis-à-vis. In doing so, he does not pursue a levelling of differences, rather he sets out to establish an atopic – placeless – in-between space from which new ideas and solutions can emerge. This approach is also applied to the contrast between Chinese and European medicine, in particular regarding concepts of hygiene, which carry weighted saliency in the face of the Covid-19 outbreak. This article examines ­Jullien’s hygiene concept within the context of the current pandemic. The conclusion suggests that Jullien does not satisfy the requirements of his own ­method. Further, his understanding of hygiene is predominantly individualistic and as such can only have limited implications on a pandemic scale.