无法消解的主体及其责任——勒维纳斯他者理论中的责任主体问题

Irreducible Subject and Its Responsibility——Issues on the responsibility subject in Levinas' ethics of the Other

主体问题是哲学史上的一个重要问题。作为西方文明源头的古希腊思想就有了主体思维的萌芽;启蒙运动的思想家们高扬"人性"的旗帜塑造了人性解放的主体性人格,以新的方式提出了人的主体性问题;笛卡尔"我思,故我在"的命题从"怀疑"入手,用"我思"确定了"我在"的主体性地位,宣告了近代主体性原则的正式到来。与主体问题一同登上历史舞台的是主客二分的对象化思维方式,在这种思维方式的指导下,主体与客体的关系逐渐演化为主体不断膨胀与客体不断边缘化。主体性的过度泛滥导致人与人、人与自然之间的矛盾日益加剧,声势浩大的主体性反思与批判活动随之开始。20世纪西方出现的后现代主义思潮对现代性进行了前所未有的反省,其中一个重要内容就是反主体性问题,但最终他们发现自己走了一条过犹不及的道路。与后现代主义全盘否定态度不同,主体间性理论对主体性问题的反思是一条调和路线,但其调和的结果也难遂人愿。如何面对主体问题,是坚持、还是消解、抑或是调和,痛苦的抉择摆在面前。在西方哲学发展的困境之处,勒维纳斯以一种全新的视角,围绕"他者"问题提出了全新的主体观,将为"他者"的责任赋予主体,重新构建了主体性,即一种具有强烈伦理性的主体。

Subject is an important issue in philosophical history. Thinking of subject has long since emerged in ancient Greek thought which marks the origin of western civilizations; An issue of man＇ s subjectivity was raised in a new way by the thinkers of the Enlightenment, who held high the banner of ＂human nature＂ to shape subjectivity personality with emancipation of humanity; Descartes＇ statement ＂I think, therefore I am＂ declared the coming of modern subjectivity principle, for he took ＂I think＂ to consolidate the subjectivity position of ＂I am＂ with his ＂suspicion＂. The thinking peared on the historical scene, together with subject of the object featuring dichotomy of subject and object apissue. Under the guidance of such a way of thinking, the relationship of subject and object came to evolve into subjective inflating and objective deflating. It was the overabundance of subjectivity that made the contradictions between man and man, man and nature increasingly severe, and consequently a huge campaign of rethinking thinking trend appeared in the western world of the and criticizing subjectivity started. The post-modern 20th century underwent an unprecedented rethinking of post-modernism, and one of the major issues remained themselves walking too far away. The inter-subjectivity ＂counter subjectivity＂, but finally modernists found theory, however, different from total denial attitude held by postmodernism, embraced a moderate conciliation way to to get an expected result. To carry on, to reduce, or to conciliate rethinking the subjectivity issue, but failed the subjectivity is a hard option we confront. In the plight of western philosophy development, Levinas took a new perspective to put forward a brand-new subjectivity theory concerning ＂the Other＂ issue, in which he endowed the responsibility of ＂the Other＂ with subject, and rebuilt subjectivity, that is, a kind of subject with intensive ethicality.