西方文化史研究的概念体系及学科性质初探

On the Concept System and the Disciplinary Nature of Cultural History of the West

作为一个建设中的学科,西方文化史研究迫切需要在学理上探讨和论证其概念体系。这个开放的概念体系具有描述的和分析的双重结构,又具有工具的和文化的双重特性。文化史研究的过程就是概念的不断形成、建立、解构和重构过程,即是理论和实践中自觉地对已有的概念重估、更新。对文化史的学科性质、研究对象和研究方法的认识都维系在概念体系的建设上。西方文化史的特别之处在于"西方"、"文化"这些概念的模糊性和不确定性,在于西方文化整体内部各文化要素充满矛盾、对立和对话,因而其研究也呈现特殊的面貌。

As a growing branch of learning,the Cultural History of the West is in urgent need for a deep discussion and verification of concept system regarding this field.The open system has a double structure:descriptive and analytic,and a dual characteristic:instrumental and cultural.The research process of a cultural history is that of the formation,establishment,deconstruction,and reestablishment of concepts,and also that of conscious revaluation and updating of the established concepts in theory and practice.The nature of the subject,the scope of the study,and the research method depends on the construction of the concept system.The uniqueness of the Cultural History of the West lies in the ambiguity and the uncertainty of the concepts such as 'the West' and 'culture',and also in the culture itself within which full of contradiction,confrontation and dialogue with each other.Therefore,the research of the cultural history takes on some special aspects.