智慧的使命——关于哲学“是什么”和“做什么”的思索

The Mission of Wisdom:A Reflection on What Philosophy Is and What Philosophy Can Do

终极存在、至善价值和最高智慧,是千百年来中西哲学家孜孜以求的目标。但是自古以来,这却是一个可思而不可得的目标。远的不说,至少自近代以来,这种追求屡遭挫折,哲学的窘迫、贫困此起彼伏、愈演愈烈,早已不复2000年前乃至500年前的辉煌。但这不值得烦恼。哲学的魅力和生命力,恰恰在于它可以永恒地——虽然经常是徒劳地——向人们提出那些解决不了的问题;哲学价值中的一大部分,只能在它的不确定性之中去寻求。笔者认为,哲学之所以应当被继续加以学习和研究,并不在于它能提供有关宇宙和人生各种问题的完备答案或最终答案,而在于问题本身。因此,对于任何一个文明社会来说,追求真理、追求实在、追求意义、追求绝对、追求自由、追求智、追求道、追求美等等,是必要的,尽管我们常常不能把这些东西追求到手。重要的是追求本身,即哲学的思与反思。

For thousands of years,the main focus for both Chinese and Western philosophers has been to strive to uncover such subjects as the ultimate being,the highest value,and the greatest wisdom,however they may evade realization beyond the conceptual realm.Since modern times,their pursuits have been repeatedly thwarted and the embarrassment and"poverty"of modern philosophy have become increasingly acute,especially in comparison to the glory the subject enjoyed two thousand or even five hundred years ago.Nevertheless,the persisting charm and vitality of philosophy lies in its ability to perpetually raise just such unanswerable questions,if on occasion meeting with frustration.In most cases,the values of philosophy can only be explored in its uncertainty.The present paper contends that the reason that philosophy is still worth studying and inquiring into is not for the complete or ultimate answers it has for questions about cosmos and life,but for the value of the questions per se.In this sense,for a civilized society,the pursuit of truth,reality,significance,absoluteness,freedom,wisdom,the Way,and beauty is indispensable,even though we often fail to grasp them entirely.The pursuit itself,namely,philosophical meditation and reflection,is what really counts.