个人观与现代性意识的关联

The Relationship between the View of Individual and the Notion of Modernity

现代性话语与个人观有着内在的关联。一方面,从西方思想家对现代性的论述来看,黑格尔所确立的主体原则(个体原则)成为现代性的基本原则,现代性的发展过程是个体化的过程,个人观是考察现代性发展的基本视角;另一方面,从西方思想家对个人观(“个人主义”)的论述来看,可以得出类似的结论:“个人主义”是西方现代性发展的一个核心原则,西方现代的个人观在“个人主义”学说中得到了清晰地表达。大多现代西方思想家对“个人主义”有自己的界定,尽力与利己主义区别开来,不把个人看作惟利是图的主体,强调现代个人是独立的、自主的、谦卑的主体。

there is an inherent relationship between the view of individual and the discourse of modernity. On one hand, from the discussion of modernity by many Western thinkers, the principle of subjectivity established by Hegel has been a fundamental principle of modernity. The process of modernity development is an individualized one. Therefore, the view of individual has been regarded as a basic perspective which discusses modernity development. On the other hand, from the discussion of individualism by some Western thinkers, we may draw the similar conclusion： individualism is a core principle of Western modernity. The modern view of individual in the Western world has been displayed in the theory of individualism. Many Western thinkers have their own definitions of individualism, which differs from egoism. In their eyes, individual is not an egoistical subject, but an independent, self-governing and modest one.