重提内在感官说

Revisiting the Theory of Inner Senses

内在感官理论是18世纪英国经验主义美学中的一支重要理论,这种理论强调美与审美都是心灵的内部事务,与外在感官关系不大。但是,由于人们不再相信内在感官的存在,内在感官理论逐渐被人遗忘,于是人们将美学中的感性认识,误解为外在感官的认识。其实,18世纪欧洲美学家所说的感性认识,指的是内在感官的认识。18世纪英国经验主义美学中的内在感官理论,与中国传统美学重视心灵十分类似。比较这两种理论,有助于我们理解美和审美的实质。

The theory of inner sense is an important theory in the 18th century British empiricist aesthetics which emphasizes that beauty and aesthetics are internal affairs of the mind and have litde to do with the external senses. However, because people no longer believe in the existence of the inner senses, this theory has gradually been forgotten with the result that peo- ple mistake perceptual knowledge in aesthetics for knowledge of the external senses. In fact, what the 18th century European aesthetes meant by perceptual knowledge was the understanding of the inner senses. The theory of inner senses in the 18th century British empiricist aesthetics is similar to traditional Chinese aesthetics which emphasizes the mind. A comparison of these two theories will help us understand the essence of beauty and aesthetics.