中国务实主义及其儒家哲学基础

The Chinese Pragmatism and Its Confucian Philosophical Foundations

中国文化的核心之一是务实主义。在认识论层面,中国务实主义相信真理的性质是历史和具体的,而认知思维是情理交融的,认知系统是开放、现实和融合的;在实践论层面,中国务实主义从目的出发,相信如果目的是合意的,则手段就可以随情境而变。中国务实主义可以还原为儒家的人性论。不同于西方单一和不变的人性假设,儒家的人性是世俗的,因而也是流变和可塑的。人性的世俗性否定绝对真理,人性的流变和可塑性为手段的多样性提供哲学基础。然而,儒家并不提倡为达到目的而不择手段,而是强调个人修养以及礼仪对个人机会主义的约束作用。儒家人性论无法推导出法治,这不能不说是儒家的一个缺憾;如同民主政治一样,儒家政治必须佐以法治才可能保证良政。

One of the defining Chinese characters is pragmatism.At the epistemological level,the Chinese pragmatism believes that truth is historical and specific,epistemological reasoning mixes reason and emotion,and the epistemological system is open,realistic,and absorbing.At the practical level,the Chinese pragmatism starts from the purpose and believes that the means can change with context as long as the purpose is desirable.The philosophical foundation of the Chinese pragmatism can be traced back to the Confucian idea about man.Different from the western man of a singular and perpetual nature,the Confucian man is secular,and his nature can evolve over time and be remolded.Man's secularity negates perpetual truth,and the evolution and remolding of his nature provides the philosophical foundation for the diversity of means.However,the Confucian rejects opportunistic means and believes that personal perfection and li are the way out to curb opportunism.It is regretful that it is impossible for Confucianism to deduct the rule of law.Like democracy,Confucian politics has to rely on the rule of law to reach good governance.