中国政治伦理思想史研究初论

An Initiatory Discussion on History of Chinese Political Ethic Thoughts

中国政治伦理思想是历史上的思想家有关政治伦理问题的认识结晶,其主题是社会政治生活的正当性。历史上的思想家对于社会政治生活的道德层面有着十分深切的关注。什么样的社会生活是符合道德的生活,生活在不同历史条件下的人们有着不同的理解。与历史上的思想家一样,生活在现时代的人们也要对这一问题给出属于我们自己时代的答案。我们对有关社会政治生活伦理问题形成自己理解的前提,就是准确地理解和把握中国政治伦理思想产生、发展的历史,以及理解中国政治伦理思想,作为人类共同的思想遗产之于当代中国社会发展的意义。

The Chinese political ethic thoughts are the product of the past thinkers＇ insights into political ethics. The theme of the thoughts is the legitimacy of social and political life. Thinkers in Chinese history showed deep concern about the moral aspect of social and political life. People living different historical conditions differ in their understanding of what kind of social life is an ethical life. Like thinkers in history, those living in the present age also have to give this question their own answer. To develop our own understanding of the ethical issues of social and political life, we must first have an accurate and thorough understanding of the history of the birth and development of Chinese political ethics and grasp the significance of the Chinese political ethics as a common human heritage to contemporary social development of China.