论休谟的德性效用价值论

Hume's Utility Theory of Virtue

德性就是一种品质,是指任何事物的特长、用处和功能。德性对于人而言视为品质,而对于物而言可视为性质。在休谟以前,西方伦理学家们一般强调德性之"因其自身的缘故"成为人们所普遍追求的意义,即德性的内在善。但是休谟的观点与此不同,他认为德性的真正价值在于它的外在善,即品质对他人或社会的作用。因而他不再把德性之善,仅仅看作"因其自身的缘故"成为人们所普遍追求的东西,而是更喜欢把德性之善看作"因其结果的缘故"成为人们所普遍追求的东西。正因为如此,休谟改变了西方伦理学的传统,把德性之事实判断与价值判断相应地分开,从而把讨论的重点引向了德性之"效用"或"有用"。

Virtue is a quality, namely the specialty, usefulness, and function that all things bear. It is a character for man, but a property for thing. Before Hurtle, the western scholars in ethnics generally emphasize virtue for its own sake, which hence becomes the universal meaning people pursue, meaning that is called the inner goodness of virtue. Hume, however, differs in that the true value of virtue lies in its outer good, that is, the function of quality to others or society. Virtue for him is no longer a good for its own sake only; rather, the good of virtue is a result. It is for this reason that Hume changed the western tradition of ethnics. For him, judgement of value should be separated from judgement of fact for their due roles, an advocacy that leads the focus of discussion to the ＂utility＇or ＂usefulness＂of virtue.