人类自我意识的神话起源和现代性问题——对西方文化中普罗米修斯盗火和亚当堕落的分析

Mythical Origin of Human Self-consciousness and the Issue of Modernity——An Analysis of Prometheus Stealing Fire and Falling of Adam in West Culture

一种文化中的人类自我形象往往是由该文化的宗教和神话界定其对人类本性和人类状况的本质和核心意义的理解的。西方文化中,普罗米修斯盗火的神话和亚当、夏娃堕落的宗教故事,都围绕着神人关系和人对智慧的获得展开。人类以僭越的方式从神那里获取智慧,既获得了自我意识和形塑了自我形象,又是人类不幸和恶的根源。由于获得了智慧,人类产生了理性的骄傲和自我意识的膨胀。在亚当和夏娃堕落的故事中,便隐含了现代性的两个核心内容:人代替神成为自然的主人与使人类的自由成为可能。

Generally speaking, in one kind of culture, the nature of mankind＇s self-consciousness is defined by its religion and myth. In west culture, both the myth of Prometheus stealing fire from god and the religious story of falling of Adam and Eve are focused on relationship of god and mankind. In this relationship, the core issue is that what wisdom means to mankind. Mankind steal wisdom from god and become arrogant, which is origin of human misfortune and evil in the world. Two focal points of modernity are： first, mankind become master of Nature in place of God; second, make human being free.