宗教在公共证成中的作用:杰拉德·高斯对罗尔斯的修正

On the role of religion in public justification:Gerald Gaus’ revision to Rawls’

面对宗教的公共证成作用这一新的“神学政治问题”,罗尔斯希望他的既有自由共识又有宗教容纳的方案能够实现现代多元社会的基于正当理由的稳定性。然而亲近宗教的理论家们对其提出了值得认真对待的批评意见。高斯认同罗尔斯的公共证成抱负,但是不满意他的公共证成方案;同情理论家们的宗教批评,但是不支持他们的某些极端主张。他试图发展一种聚合公共证成模式来回应针对罗尔斯观念的宗教批评。不过,高氏的方案也存在诸多困难。对于这两种公共证成观念,可以秉持一种更符合现代多元主义精神的态度,即无论是罗尔斯的更加强调共识的公共证成观念,还是高斯的更加尊重多元的公共证成观念,都是证成性自由主义家族中不可缺少的合情理的成员,它们能够互补地为实现现代社会的自由与平等、多元与稳定作出贡献。

Facing the theological-political problem of the role that religion plays in public justification,Rawls hopes that his plan of“liberal consensus”and“religious tolerance”can achieve“stability for the right reasons”in modern pluralistic societies.However,theorists who are sympathetic of religions put forward the criticisms that deserve to be taken seriously.Gaus agrees with Rawls’ambition of public justification,but he is not satisfied with Rawls’scheme.He sympathizes with the theorists’criticism but doesn’t support some of their extreme claims.Gaus attempts to develop a conception of convergence to respond to the religious criticism at Rawls.However,there are also many difficulties in Gaus'scheme.In a word,As to the two schemes of public justification,we can hold a more modern spirit of pluralism.That is to say,whether it is Rawls'scheme which puts more emphasis on common sense or Gaus'which pays more respect to pluralism,both are indispensible and“reasonable”members of the liberalism family of public justification,making complementary contributions to realizing freedom and equality,pluralism and stability of the modern society.