“决断”还是“任意”(抑或其它)?——从中世纪的liberum arbitrium看康德Willkür概念的汉译

“Entscheidung” or “Arbitrariness” (or Other Terms)?——On the Proper Chinese Translation of Kant's Term Willkür from the Perspective of the Concept of liberum arbitrium in the Middle Ages

“Willkür”概念不仅在《纯粹理性批判》中,而且在《实践理性批判》、尤其是《道德形而上学》中具有重要作用。可是,对于这个概念,国内学术界迄今没有找到一个恰当和统一的中文表述。导致目前在该词翻译上的这种混乱状态的原因是多方面的,然则对西方自由(意志)理论之中世纪渊源的漠视、对康德哲学和中世纪哲学之间的内在深刻关联的人为断裂,无疑是更为深层的原因。本文拟通过对中世纪意志概念的层阶分析,寻求接近事情本质的答案。

The concept of Willktir played a very important role in Kant＇s works, not only in Kritik der reinen Vernunft, but also in Kritik der praktischen Vernunft, especially in Die Metaphysik der Sitten. With regards to the concept, however, Chinese academia has still not found a proper and uniform Chinese term corresponding to it. Although the reasons for the confusion in the translation of the concept could be traced in many aspects, the following reasons are undoubtedly the more deep-seated one： the ignorance of the Middle Ages＇ origin for Western theories of the freedom （will） and the artificial fracture of the intrinsic and essential connection between the philosophy of Kant and that of the Middle Ages. By a thorough analysis of the strata of the concept of the will in the Middle Ages, the author attempts to seek out an answer close to the essence.