中西“时机”观考辨——《论语》与《伊索克拉底文集》比较

Timing in the Analects and Isocrates

"时机"是一个早在古典时期就深受东西方思想家所关注的重要概念,然而迄今似尚未出现相关的中西比较研究。本文选择了体现古希腊人文风貌的《伊索克拉底文集》与代表春秋思想精华的《论语》,经由概览数目相当的所有篇目,对其中具有典型性的时机言论作了考辨。研究发现:无处不在的时机之用是两者的共识;然《论语》更重失时的性质、误机的原因、契机与否的结果,《文集》则尤为关注应机之策的探寻。对孔子与伊氏"时机"观的考辨,有助于推动核心范畴的比较,而中西时机观的融合将更好地服务于当代全球化的言说语境。

Timing is an important concern of both ancient Greek and Chinese philosophers, where no comparative research seems to have been conducted. This paper chooses Isocrates, a Greek classic, and Analects, a masterpiece in the Spring and Autumn Period, for a systematic comparison of their typical remarks on timing. The findings reveal that both lay emphasis on timing, but Analects devotes more to examining the nature, cause and consequence of missing or grabbing the opportune moment, while Isocrates at- tends to proper strategies of apprehending the opportunities. This inquiry is to promote comparisons of shared key categories, and to better serve the current globalized world.