卡西尔文化哲学的理论观念:人是符号的动物

The Theoretical Idea of Cassirer's Philosophy of Symbolic Forms: Man Is Symbolic Animal

卡西尔的"符号形式哲学"体系在他于1923年至1929年先后出版的《符号形式哲学》中得到系统的论述,而《人论——人类文化哲学导引》一书则是对他的符号形式哲学思想的简要阐述和概括。卡西尔符号形式哲学的基本观念是:人运用符号创造文化。符号概念是卡西尔哲学的核心概念,符号形式的文化哲学的创建是卡西尔的主要任务。文章通过探讨卡西尔关于人的定义、文化哲学的内涵及缘起、符号系统、符号化的思维和行为及符号的魔力等方面,将卡西尔文化哲学的理论体系展示出来,并进行了评述。

Ernst Cassirer has been described by western scholars as ＂one of the most respected figures in contemporary phi-losophy, a scholar with encyclopedic knowledge＂. His philosophy of symbolic forms has been systematically discussed through the publication of the three volumes of Philosophy o f Symbolic Forms, which were released from 1923 to 1929. The book An Essay on Man has briefly discussed and summarized his thought of the philosophy of symbolic forms. The basic concept of CassirerJ s philosophy of symbolic form is that people use symbols to create culture. So, the symbolic concept is the central concept of Cassirer＇s philosophy,and the creation of cultural philosophy of symbolic forms is the main task for Cassirer. Through the discussion of the definition of man, the connotation and origin of cultural philosophy, symbol system, symbolic thinking and behavior, the magic of symbols, etc., the author of this article analysed and commented on the theo-retical system of CassirerJ s philosophy of symbolic forms.