基因与人性——生命科学与社会学理论的分析

Gene and Human Nature——Analysis of Theories of Life Science and Sociology

基因结构与功能的发现是20世纪自然科学的一项重大成就,它也使得我们能够对人性作进一步的认识与阐释。基因可以说是主宰人性的原动力,其特性具有本性(自私和复制)以及习性(与环境的合作交流)两个层面。这些特性也表现在人类身上:人类的本性即动物性是由天赋决定,通过遗传代代相继;习性即文化性则可随环境改变,为个体后天学习得来。孟子的"性善论"与荀子的"性恶论"各执其一端,而孔子"性相近,习相远"的观点,则更为合理地概括了人性之双重性的善恶两面。

The discovery of the structure and function of genes in the 20^(th) century was a great achievement in life sciences.It also enabled us to use human genes to understand and to elucidate human nature scientifically.Human nature consists of two parts:nature and nurture.Nature refers to the animal instinct which is inheritable and nurture refers to the cultural/environmental influence which is not inheritable.The kind and evil theories of human nature describe the different aspects of nature and nurture respectively.Confucius'view of human nature was that we all share a very similar nature and different nurture.