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Toward an Open System: Ernst Bloch’s ‘Not-Yet-Being’ Ontology and Its Philosophical Implications
- 1 Renmin University of China, Beijing, China
* Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Ernst Bloch, as a pivotal figure in early Western Marxism, constructed his philosophy of hope centered on the ontology of ‘not-yet-being’ (noch-nicht-sein), offering a groundbreaking perspective for traditional philosophical systems. This study traces the conceptual history of his system, analyzes Bloch's original texts, and compares his thought with other Marxist scholars to reveal the uniqueness of his ontology: beyond the binary opposition of being and non-being, Bloch introduces ‘not-yet-being' as a dynamic, processual concept, redefining existence as a perpetually unfolding and incomplete state. This ontology synthesizes the Left Aristotelian theory of potentiality, the openness of Hegelian dialectics, and Marx’s historical materialism, forming a generative logic of ‘nothingness-not-yet-all.’ Bloch’s system not only deconstructs ontological closure but also, through the concept of an ‘open cosmos,’ interprets cultural phenomena as unfinished processes imbued with utopian impulses, endowing them with dual significance for both understanding and transforming the world. This paper argues that Bloch’s open system responds to the 20th-century crisis of spirit while providing methodological insights for contemporary systems research. By emphasizing indeterminacy and possibility, his philosophy pioneers a path for constructing autonomous knowledge systems beyond Euro-centrism, offering critical inspiration for transcending metaphysical constraints and engaging with multicultural realities.
Keywords
Bloch, not-yet, ontology, openness, system
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Cite this article
Sun,K. (2025). Toward an Open System: Ernst Bloch’s ‘Not-Yet-Being’ Ontology and Its Philosophical Implications. Advances in Humanities Research,12(1),62-68.
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