德行、德性、良品抑或美德——论“virtue ethics”的译名

On translation of “virtue ethics”

目前virtue ethics主要有四种译名:德行伦理,德性伦理,良品伦理,美德伦理。"德行伦理"将"virtue"的内涵限定为外部道德行为,改变了我们对"virtue"的一般理解,也不符合virtue ethics把道德品格作为核心关注的事实。"德性伦理"使得virtue和virtue ethics的意义狭窄化,且该词的使用比较混乱,容易引起virtue ethics和中国传统伦理学理论之间的概念混淆。"良品伦理"是一种过度翻译。相比之下,"美德伦理"这一译名较为妥当。

＂Virtue ethics＂mainly has four translations in Chinese： virtuous-conduct ethics,Dexing ethics,Liangpin ethics,and Meide ethics. The translation of ＂virtuous-conduct ethics＂limits the connotation of ＂virtue＂to external moral behaviors; it changes our general understanding of ＂virtue＂,and does not conform to the fact that virtue ethics views moral character as the core focus. The translation of ＂Dexing ethics＂has a special theory of human nature about ＂virtue＂,narrowing the meanings of virtue and virtue ethics. And it may cause the confusion between virtue ethics and Chinese traditional Confucian ethics. The translation of ＂Liangpin ethics＂is inappropriate. By contrast,the translation of ＂Meide ethics＂is more appropriate.