我们是我们的行为吗?——理性情绪行为疗法的基本信条之科学方法论考察

Are We What We Do?——On the basic principle of rational emotive behavior therapy

"他们不是他们的行为"是理性情绪行为疗法理论的一个基本信条。该信条指出,不能从人们所做的行为推出人们所具有的本性,且人们不应当在本性的层面上对自己或他人进行贬低与打击。针对该信条,有的学者论证说:人们当下的行为正体现了人们的本性。从科学方法论角度分析,对"我们就是我们当下的行为"的论证并不能有力地反驳理性情绪行为疗法理论的上述基本信条。该信条可以在一定程度上被合理地理解为:对我们的行为的评价不能等同于对我们的本性的评价。此种理解能够在一定程度上消解对该信条的误读。

＂They are not what they do. ＂ is one of the basic principles of rational emotive behavior therapy. It is said that people＇ s essence or self eouldn＇ t be inferred from their acts, and human be- ings had better not depreciate or attack themselves and others from such aspect. According to this principle, some scholars argued that ： ＂What I do is me, couldn＇ t be otherwise. ＂ The paper analyzes the basic principle from the angle of methodology, and maintains that the above argument couldn＇ t strongly refute the principle; but to a certain extent, this principle could be reasonably interpreted as： ratings of our acts can＇ t be equal with ratings of our essence. This kind of interpretation could elimi- nate some misreading of the principle.