从“高上意志及卑下意志之对峙”到“以理制欲”——试论白璧德“新人文主义”在当前中国的一例误读

From "The Opposition between a Lower and a Higher Will" to "Control of Yu(Desire) Over Li(Reason)" ——A Case Study of the Misinterpretation of Babbitt's" New Humanism" in Contemporary China

“新人文主义”在中国的影响与接受主要分为两个时期:1920 — 30 年代的“学衡时期”;始于 20 世纪 90 年代的“新时期”。其间我国对“新人文主义”的研究缺少传承,甚至直接显示为断代。最显著的表现就是,关于“高上意志”对“卑下意志”的“内在制约”这一“新人文主义”核心思想,部分新时期研究者未加分辨地接受了学衡时期阐释者们给出的解读,致使这一核心概念在新时期的再阐释过程中发生了明显的变形。因此,我们要尽可能充分地理解前人所处的时代背景与当时学人的独特心态,这样或可避免谬误流传。

Concerning the influence and reception of Babbitt's 'New Humanism' in China, there are two main periods: 'the Xueheng Period' during 1920's—30's; 'the New Period' starting from 1990's. And this rupture or discontinuity in interpretive history of 'New Humanism' for about six decades caused apparent distortions of conceptions. Take 'inner-check' (imposed by 'the higher will' on 'the lower will'), the kernel concept of the 'New Humanism' for example: The scholars of the first period (mainly those belonging to the 'Critical Review Group') tended to give their own interpretations to meet the demands of the time, but those of 'the New Period', would simply take their timely explanations as granted. So we should carefully refer to the previous period and its special mentality with greatest sympathy, otherwise the mistakes are bound to be repeated rather than avoided.