王充历史观管窥

A Simple Analysis of Wang Chong's Historical Viewpoint

王充是东汉具有批判性的哲学家。他不否认道德的意义,但又坚持德与力相互配合的观点,认为要改变现实是须有实际的力量的。其"力"的概念的丰富内容使他的德与力的相互关系的思想具有超越"知识就是力量"的魅力。他将事物变化中的时、遇等均看成必然性的"命",认为是构成事物变化的决定性因素,同时又认为"天道自然""无为",故又陷入了宿命论和机械论。王充否认人事修为对于"命"的积极意义,而将其与适遇、幸偶等偶然因素混为一谈,又将人力可为之事与不可为的自然之事搅为一团,显然是将复杂问题简单化了。对王充复杂历史观的理解离不开传统的社会背景和政治格局。

Wang Chong was a critical philosopher in the Eastern Han Dynasty. Althougu he didn＇t deny morality meaning,he insisted his opinion of the interaction of the moral and power and thought that we must have real power to change reality. Because Wang Chong＇s conception of the word ＂power＂had rich content,his thought about the interaction of the moral and power had the charm beyond the saying ＂knowledge is power＂. He regarded the timing and opportunity in the change of things as the inevitability of ＂destiny＂and the decisive factors that constituted the change of things. At the same time,he also believed＂natural law＂and＂inaction＂,entrapping himself into the fatalism and mechanism. Wang Chong denied the positive significance of self-cultivation and moral quality to the ＂destiny＂,mixed up ＂destiny＂with more chance factor of timing and opportunity,stirred up the things that manpower could do and the natural things that manpower could not do. It was obvious that Wang Chong simplified complex issues. It is hard to comprehend the complex historical viewpoint of Wang Chong without the traditional social background and political pattern.