“清扫通向中国的道路”——郝大维和安乐哲的中西比较文化方法论试探

Clearing a Path to China: A Probe into Hall and Ames' Methodology of Sino- Western Cultural Comparison

本文以美国学者郝大维和安乐哲合作撰写的"中西思想比较三部曲"为中心,对其比较文化方法论作出了较为全面而深入的考察。文章首先将郝、安心目中若干亟需"清扫"的障碍归为四类并予以概要的阐述与诠释,然后对其"新实用主义"之文化比较观进行了内涵归纳,又在中西两种不同"问题框架"的相互对照下,对郝大维、安乐哲所谓中西文化的"决定性因素"以及"语境化方式"的独特蕴涵均予以细致的分疏与论析。结论指出,自19世纪下半叶以来,西方文化的内部出现了试图弥补或联接思辨与现实、理性与感性或本体与表象之"本体论鸿沟"的强烈倾向并涌现了一系列新的思潮,郝、安的方法论,无疑受到了这些新思潮的感染,但同时他们又怀疑来自西方自身的"救治"是否真的有效,故其对于中国文化的诠解,一方面固然表现出对于后现代思潮的汲取与利用,另一方面从他们对于中国文化的借鉴,却又能够看到其寄希望于东方来救治西方传统之"超越性偏至"的"期待"。

This paper focuses on the trilogy of comparative study of Sino - Western thought co - authored by David L. Hall and Roger T. Ames to make a critical survey of their methodology of cultural comparison. This paper regroups the barriers Hall and Ames find to be in urgent want of clearing and then it briefly describes and interprets the rationale behind the four groups. The paper proceeds to summarize the two scholars＇ neo - pragmatic concept of cultural comparison before analyzing the implications of their concept of determinants in culture and eontextualized approach in relation to the two different frameworks of problematization in the two cultures. Since the second half of the 19th century, new ideas began appearing in the Western culture, attempting to bridge the ＂ontological gaps＂ between being and representation, which influenced Hall and Ames＇ methodology but provoked their reflection on these ideas＇ effectiveness in remedying the Western tradition. Therefore Hall and Ames＇ interpretation of Chinese cuhure has showed their appropriation of postmodernist thoughts and their reference to Chinese culture, which reveals their anticipation that Eastern culture might remedy ＂the transcendental partiality＂ of the Western tradition.