杨端六与罗素——从罗素长沙讲学说起

Yang Duanliu and Bertrand Russell——Beginning with Russel's Lectures in Changsha

五四时期英国哲学家罗素来华讲学,以其大哲学家的眼光,就中国问题发表看法,激起中国思想学术界颇大的反响。从英伦学成而归的杨端六,是罗素在上海、长沙讲学期间的一位重要译员。针对国人盲目追崇的学风,杨端六在报章上发表批评文章,主张应该理性地对待罗素及其他西方哲人的学说。他本人亦从罗素实用哲学中吸取精神养料,进行着社会政治实践。杨端六与罗素的思想交往,以往鲜有人讨论,但不失为这次中西文化交流中的一缕理性之光。

During the May 4th period, Bertrand Russell came to China and delivered lectures which were his opinions on ＂China Problem＂ according to his academic view. And he had close and extensive contacts with Chinese intellectuals at that time. When Russell were in Shanghai and Changsha, Yang Duanliu, who had just returned from Britain, was one of his translators, and was able to communicate with him in terms of academic thought. Yang suggested that Chinese people ought to treat Russell as an English scholar and understand him rightly. Meanwhile, Yang engaged his social activities instructed by Russell＇s Pragmatic learning. To some extent, Yang＇s suggestions might have been the clue to this Sino-Western cultural communication.