论浮龙·李的移情说

On Vernon Lee's Theory of Empathy

作为现代主义美学最初的理论 ,移情论体现出人们“自下而上”通过实验心理学探明审美心理的一种企图。浮龙·李以康德美学为起点 ,试图证明美不可能是存在于主体之外的事物本性 ,美只是人观察和解释事物时采取的一种主观方式。移情的发生归根结底在于不包含任何客体信息、不存在个体思想感情的普遍化概念 ;正是这种普遍化使得主体的活动被转移到客体继而成为客体的性质 ,即主客合一。移情是知觉在把握客体形状时一种不受干扰、平衡、稳定和持续的过程。进入人的意识并且对人的情感产生影响的是移情活动中生命力所发生的变化。浮龙·李通过生命力的变化以及人对这个变化的意识解释美感 ,因此 ,美感在浮龙·李的移情说中洋溢着对生命力的兴趣和肯定。但是 ,由于无功利前提 ,这个兴趣最后只能落在对人自身肌肉运动的意识上。人们批评移情论把移情的原始动力最终归结为器官的生理活动是损害了美的超越价值。

As an original modern aesthetic theory, the theory of empathy attempte d to work through an insight into the nature of beauty by means of experimental psychology. Starting from Kantian assumption of the disinterestedness of beauty, this theory is said to have the subjectivity in view and translate beauty into a way of human perception and even interpretation of objects outside himself. Du e to a comparative or momentary abeyance of all thoughts of an ego, empathy occu rs when the generalized idea of an object's shape is transferred from th e subjec t onto the object, taking its place within the same object. Since this is a cont inuous, balanced and stable process without interruption, the feelings that acco mpany the process of empathy are said to take great interest in and highly value the underlying vitality that goes through a series of changes therein. That is where the sense of beauty arises. However, Vernon Lee has to stop along the bord erline where the disinterestedness delineates, confining the emotional response in empathetic perception of object to that towards human muscle movement. The tr anscendental value of beauty is acutely absent and alien in her theoretical inte rpretation.