当代亚里士多德主义的复兴

The Renewal of Aristotelianism in the Present Age

20世纪后半叶英美伦理学界兴起了一股德性伦理学思潮,德性伦理学主要批评以康德主义和功利主义为代表的现代规则伦理学,标榜古代德性伦理学特别是亚里士多德伦理学的复兴。关注点从行为的正当性规则转向人如何在共同体中实现美好的生活。同时德国哲学界以阿伦特和伽达默尔为代表受海德格尔启发,也致力于复兴亚里士多德的实践哲学。从社会交往层面理解实践,并且强调实践的合理性不同于技术合理性。这些新亚里士多德主义者虽然形态各异,但有着共同的倾向,这就是对于现代科学主义、工具理性泛滥的批判,对于现代个人主义膨胀导致的诸多弊端的批判。力图借鉴古典资源审视当代社会,呼唤实践智慧引导人们在共同体的伦理生活中追求完善和幸福。这表明古代经典思想在现代仍具有强大的生命力。

In the second half of the 20th century, an intellectual movement of virtue ethics rose in Anglo-American ethics. Virtue ethicists mainly criticized rule ethics such as Kantianism and Utilitarianism and boosted the renewal of ancient virtue ethics, especially Aristotelian ethics. Their focus turns from behavior rules to how to achieve good life in the community. At the same time, German philosophers such as Gadamer and Arendt enlightened by Heidegger also made great efforts to revive Aristotelian practical philosophy. They understand practices from the aspect of social interaction and emphasize that the practical rationality is different from technical rationality. Although these Neo-Aristotelians have different thoughts,they shared the same tendency, that is, to criticize the modern scientism, the overflow of instrumental rationality, and many defects caused by expansion of modern individualism. They strive to draw support from classical sources to reexamine contemporary society and call for practice wisdom to guide people to pursue perfection and happiness in communal ethical life.