从社会抗议、社会理论到社会批判理论——社会思想的三种类型及其递进关系

Social Protest,Social Theory and Social Critical Theory:Development of Three Theories of Society

基于对"社会"问题的思考,社会思想史上产生了两次分野——从古代社会抗议到现代社会的社会理论、再到社会批判理论。这也成为解释中国社会结构变迁的恰当理论进路。首先,社会抗议是古典社会中思考社会方式的特质,它在中国和西方有着不同的传统与形式。其次,社会理论是现代社会中思考社会方式的特质。从社会抗议转变为社会理论呈现出直线进入、直接切换、独立发展并划界而立三种情形,相应形成了社会哲学、一般社会理论以及社会研究科学这三种类型的现代社会理论。再次,从现代社会理论转变为社会批判理论,实质上是从自由民主言述到激进左、右翼对它进行批判的演变过程。需要强调的是,先有社会理论后有社会批判理论是一个必然的历史—逻辑顺序。对这个顺序的忽略与颠倒是导致原生与后发现代国家在历史进程中产生社会理论差异的主要原因,也直接造成了中国的社会理论需求与伪社会理论相携出场的现象。最后,社会理论研究在遵循理论建构逻辑的同时,还必须具有一种关注当下现实生活的、理性的责任承诺。

As far as social issues and their discussions are concerned,two main transitions can be distinguished in social history of thoughts — from social protest in ancient society to social theory in modern society,and then to social critical theory.This happens to be a theoretical route for understanding changes in China's social structure.Firstly,sustained by morality as a philosophy of action and an intellectual structure,social protest is a classical way of social thinking,which differs in traditions and forms between China and western countries.Secondly,social theory is also a modern way of social thinking.There are three transitions turning from social protest to social theory:linear entry,complete switch and independent development and demarcation,which respectively lead to three types of modern social theories:social philosophy,general social theory and social science.Thirdly,the transition from modern social theory to social critical theory is indeed a transition from the declaration of liberty and democracy to their criticism by left-wing and right-wing radicals.It is the overlook or turning-upside-down of this developmental sequence that leads to different social theories in developed and developing countries.Last but not least,it has to be pointed out that social theory studies must not only follow the theory-construction logic,but also have a rational responsive commitment:caring for the real life.