严复论中西实用思想之比较

Yan Fu's Opinions about the Comparison of Chinese and Western Pragmatism

严复比较了中西实用观，认为西学以实际事物为研究对象，重视实验、实证、实行，以行为的效果判定概念的意义；倡导自由、自利、自利与利他相统一，对科学发展和社会进步是实用的。而中学以书本知识为研究对象，重直观、体验、顿悟，思维模糊、紊乱；重义轻利，存天理，灭人欲，对封建统治者愚弄百姓来说是实用的。他认为，中华民族要想自立于世，非学西学的长处不可。

After comparing Chinese and Western pragmatism,Yan Fu concludes that the Western learning takes prac- tical matters for its studies, that it emphasizes experiment,authentic proof and practice,that it evaluates meanings of con- cepts by means of their effects, and that it advocates freedom,self-interest and its unoin with others'interest,which is benefkcial for scientific developments and social progress.Contrarily,the Chinese learning studies book-knowledge,em- phasizes direct perception,experience,epiphany,and its thoughts are therefore vague and disorderly.The Chinese learn- ing also respects human relationships and looks down upon benefits,and it tries to preserve divine justice to dismiss human desires, which is useful for feudal fulers to deceive the common people.Yan Fu concludes that the Chinese must learn form the strong points of the West if it hopes to establish herself.