直觉主义的反叛与个人圣徒道路的复归——评严复经验主义认识论

Rebellion of Intuitionism and Return of Individual Saints Road—On Yan Fu Empiricist Epistemology

严复认为逻辑更胜于纯粹的学术关注,它作为方法论基础能够保证伦理道德以及社会政治等治世处方的确定性。先天具有严密方法论缺陷的中国传统治国文献的实践失败,极大降低了铭刻在经典文本中的伦理与实践格言的价值。中国需要一种崭新的推理形式,它必须与现代科学的步调相一致。这种新形式有三个中心要素:经验主义认识论替代直觉知识以及文本权威中的传统中国信念、明晰的定义方法、对于归纳的明确认知。严复很少对中性真理感兴趣,认为在科学探究过程中,逻辑的终极目的是求诚。本质上,严复展示的这一探究是个人圣徒道路的不断寻求过程。这种过程联合了外在世界广博知识的追寻以及个人道德完美的不断努力。

Yah Fu believes that logic is superior to pure academic interest in that it is a methodo- logical basis to ensure the certainty of such Statecraft prescription as ethics and social politics, etc. The practice failure of traditional Chinese rule literature with congenital defect of strict methodology has greatly reduced the value inscribed in the classic text motto of ethics and practice. Therefore, Chi- na needs a new form of reasoning which must be consistent with the pace of modern science. This new form has three central elements： Empiricist epistemology replacing intuition and textual authority of traditional Chinese beliefs, clear method of definition, and a clear recognition for induction. However, Yan Fu was rarely interested in neutral truth. He insisted that in the process of scientific inquiry, the ultimate aim of logic be to seek genuineness. In essence, the inquiry Yanfu expressed is a constantly seeking process on his personal Saints Road. This process combines the search of extensive knowledge of the external world and the continuous efforts of individual moral perfection.