The Determination of the Theme of Hu Shi's Doctoral Dissertation

The determination of the theme of Hu Shi's doctoral dissertation——A Study of the Development of Logical Method in Ancient China was based on his academic ambition, intellectual background, historical documents and his supervisor's nudge. He took advantage of Western philosophy as a tool to realize his academic mission. His intellectual structure defined the range of the theme of his dissertation. The historical documents relatively met the needs of his subject, and John Dewey's logic theory gave him the most direct enlightenment. Under the academic background at that time, this subject was wise and farsighted.