A Thorough Critique of Tu Weiming and Wang Yangming’s School of Mind: A Scientific–Philosophical Perspective

This paper conducts a systematic and thorough critique of the core proposition of Tu Weiming and Wang Yangming’s School of Mind—“the mind is principle”—from the perspectives of philosophy of science, astrophysics, evolutionary biology, and logical philosophy. The paper argues that Tu Weiming attaches “principle” (li) to “mind” (xin), placing the human mind at the center of cosmic order and value. His theory contains fatal defects at the levels of ontology, cosmology, ethics, and civilizational risk. Scientific–philosophical analysis makes clear: the physical universe predates the emergence of consciousness; mind is a product of evolution; cosmic order and meaning are independent of human consciousness. The so-called “ethical and historical value” cannot conceal the logical and scientific errors of the theory itself, and its potential harm may threaten the systemic stability of civilization. This paper ultimately forms a comprehensive scientific–philosophical civilizational critique framework, providing a manifesto-style warning for modern civilizational understanding.