第二次启蒙的当代拓荒者——深切缅怀汤一介先生

Contemporary Pioneer of the Second Enlightenment:In Memory of Professor Tang Yijie

第二次启蒙是对第一次启蒙的深度反思和内在超越。作为第二次启蒙的当代拓荒者,汤一介先生对蕴藏在第一次启蒙中的对传统的虚无主义态度进行了坚决抵抗。传统被汤一介视为一个民族魂魄之所系,是一个民族的根,它使一个民族凝聚在一起,具有某种归属感。然而在欣赏和复兴中国传统文化的同时,汤先生也并不赞同"中国文化拯救世界"说。因此对形形色色的"东方中心主义"、"中国中心主义"、"病态民族主义"保持着高度警觉。正是这种开放的襟怀和胸怀世界的眼光,使汤一介先生"始终把中国文化的命运放在整个人类文明史的框架中审视体察",他苦苦思索的不仅是中华民族的安身立命,而且是整个世界的安身立命。这就解释了他为何如此不遗余力地积极投身文明对话和文化对话以及对当代西方日益兴起的过程哲学和建设性后现代主义的高度关注和欣赏汤先生等第二次启蒙思想家所要追求的是中西文化互补并茂,各美其美,所要达致的是"落霞与孤鹜齐飞,秋水共长天一色"的动态和谐之美。

The second Enlightenment is a reflection on and an immanent transcendence of the first Enlightenment. As a contemporary pioneer of the second Enlightenment, Professor Tang Yijie firmly resists the nihilist gesture of the first Enlightenment toward tradition. In Professor Tang eyes, tradition is the spirit of a nation; as the root of a nation, tradition binds people together and gives people a sense of belonging. Yet, while greatly appreciating traditional Chinese culture and enthusiastically devoting himself to its revival, Professor Tang nevertheless rejects the outlook that Chinese culture can provide solutions to all the problems the world faces—he is always alert to various forms of Asia-centrism, Sino-centrism and radical nationalism. With open-mindedness and broad global view, Professor Tang always sees the development of Chinese Culture as a strand of the history of the whole human civilization. His deep concern is not only with Chinese culture, but also with the whole human civilization. This explains his persevering participation in cross-civilization and inter-culture dialogues and his appreciation of the process philosophy and constructive post-modernism. Along with other thinkers of the second Enlightenment, Professor Tang seeks to achieve the dynamic harmony between Chinese and Western cultures where both cultures are mutually supportive and appreciative.