创造与伸展:奥古斯丁时间观的两个向度

Creation and Extension: Two Dimensions of Augustine's Time Theory

奥古斯丁《忏悔录》中的“时间之问”受到后世哲学家们的广泛关注和高度评价,但往往只重视其中“心灵的伸展”这一向度,而忽视上帝的创造这一向度,忽视了永恒之雏。事实上,上帝的创造和心灵的伸展这两个向度不可分割,前者规定后者,阐明时间的起源;后者反映前者,说明时间的存在和本质。后者受前者的制约。也就是说,心灵的伸展有一个界限,是不可超越的。当文德尔班强调奥古斯丁的形而上学是“内在经验的形而上学”时,他确认了奥古斯丁时间观的心灵向度;当吉尔松称之为“皈依的形而上学”时,则是强调“心灵伸展的界限”,即永恒上帝的创造。

'The question of time ' in Augustine's Confessions was extensive concerned and highly remarked by later philosophers. However, they always just paid attention to ' Extension of Mind ' and ignored the Creation of God and its relationship to Eternity. In fact the two dimensions, i. e., the creation of God and the extension of mind, cannot be separated. The former decides the latter, expounding the origin of time; the latter reflects the former, expressing the existence and essence of time. Generally the latter is limited by the former. In other words,, there is a boundary line between them and it can't be surmounted. When W. Windelband emphasized Augustine's metaphysics is ' Metaphysics of immanent experience ', what he confirmed is the psychological dimension Augustine's time theory; When E. Gilson called it ' the converted metaphysics', what he emphasized is ' the limit of the mind's extension ', namely eternal God's creation.