走出困惑:“经济人”的合理性解读

Out of the Dilemma:Probing into the Legitimacy of the "Economic Man

作为西方经济学理论分析的原点 ,“经济人”内含的自利趋向 ,乃是由市场经济的根本特征所决定的 ,是对市场经济活动本质属性的真实反映。“经济人”虽不等同于现实的人本身 ,但“经济人”假说是对现实市场经济活动所具有的普遍特性的一种理性抽象与科学概括。经济人以利己为目的 ,与人类社会的道德终极诉求是相适应、相一致的。就像我们不能将对经济人的特殊道德要求泛化到非市场经济领域一样 ,亦不能将非市场经济行为的道德规范强加于经济人。

As the basic starting point for theoretical analyses in western economics, the concept of the 'economic man' with its self-oriented connotation is determined by the fundamental character of market economy. It may be regarded as a mirror of the nature of market economic activities. Although the'economic man' is not semantically equal to the individual man in reality, this hypothesis is an abstract, scientific generalization of the universal quality of economic practices. In spite of its self-centered aim, the 'economic man' acts in accordance with the ultimate moral pursuit of mankind.We can neither widely extend the specific moral codes of the 'economic man' to the non-market economy realms, nor impose the moral principles of non-market economic practices upon the 'economic man'.