罗尔斯“理性多元论”思想对西方政治哲学走向的影响

The Impact on the Future Development of Western Political Philosophy of J.Rawls’ Theory of “Reasonable Pluralism”

罗尔斯所说的理性多元论指的是西方当代民主社会各种不同并且互不相容的合乎理性的完备的宗教学说、哲学学说和道德学说的多元论。他通过西方道德哲学和政治哲学从古代之善的主题到当代之正义主题的＂主题转换＂（它与理性多元论密切相连）,以及理性多元论出现的＂历史必然＂和＂进步意义＂三个方面有说服力地论证了＂理性多元论＂是始终伴随西方未来民主社会的不可消除的事实。在此基础上,他采用一种在社会基本结构（政治领域）而非完备性学说中探寻＂共识＂的方式来解决在多元化下人类如何共存的问题,他的解决方式应该高于那种试图从历史中寻找共识资源或通过建构新的完备性学说来探求共识的做法,因而预示了西方未来政治哲学探求＂共识＂方式的新的走向。

According to John Rawls,＂reasonable pluralism＂refers to different and incompatible reasonable comprehensive doctrines of religion,philosophy and morality in contemporary western democratic societies.His theory had convincingly argued for the indispensability of ＂reasonable pluralism＂in the past and future development of western democracy from three key aspects： the＂topic transition＂（which is closely related to reasonable pluralism） from＂the good of the past＂to＂the justice of the current＂as laid out in western moral and political philosophy,the＂historical necessity＂of the＂reasonable pluralism＂,and finally its＂positive significance＂.Furthermore,Rawls attempted to address the co-existence problem of human beings by seeking＂consensus＂in the basic structure of society（ i.e.in the field of politics） rather than through a theory of comprehensivedoctrines.Such solution should be preferred to those that seek consensus through studying human history or otherwise constructing comprehensive doctrines.Therefore,it indicates a new direction of reaching＂consensus＂in the future development of western political philosophy.