西方古典人文精神的两个基本问题

Two Basic Issues for Western Classical Humanism

苏格拉底、柏拉图提出“人是什么?”奥古斯丁提出“我是谁?”这是西方古典人文精神的两个基本问题。古希腊人对“人是什么”问题的回答把理性提到至高无上的地位。奥古斯丁所问“我是谁?”使人脱离了自然秩序,把自己放在上帝面前。人为自己建立了一种新的关系,即人与上帝的关系。这种关系是爱的关系,爱即信。中世纪基督教对于“我是谁”的回答,把信仰提到了首位。

Socrats and Plato put the question of ＂what is human being？＂ while Augustine asked the question of ＂who am I＂. These are two basic issues for western classical humanism. Greece set reason in a prominent place in answering the question of ＂what is human being＂. The question of ＂who am I＂ put forward by Augustine helped man separate him from natural order, and put himself in front of God. Man has built a new type of relation for himself, namely the relation of man to God. Such a relation is love, and love means belief. The answer to the question of ＂who am I＂ made by Christianity in Middle Century had promoted belief to the top place.