论慈善美德之慷慨及其规范性原则

On Generosity as the Virtues of Philanthropy and its Normative Principles

近年来,随着中国慈善事业的快速发展,捐赠多少才算得上真正的慷慨?这个问题一直被广泛地争论。为对这一问题在学理层面做出回应,我们从美德伦理学的视角对慷慨概念及其规范性原则两个层面展开研究。通过研究发现,随着传统慈善向现代公益的转换,慷慨的内涵与外延应不断丰富、深化和拓展。慷慨是一种“实践智慧”,是出于美德的实践行动。慷慨是指一个人或机构在财物、知识、技能、权利、机会、精神、心理、爱等方面给予适度的德性与德行。但是,慈善人士的慷慨也存在一定的限度,亚里士多德和西塞罗都对此问题作过较为深入的探讨,且对慷慨的规范性原则作过相应的规定。在现代公益慈善事业中,需要对此规范性原则进行现代性转化。我们认为,“适度原则”是慷慨行为在实践中应当遵循的普遍有效原则,并对其具体内容做出了相关阐释。慷慨概念及其规范性原则的现代性转化,有助于对个体及机构开展的慈善行动进行更为理性和科学的道德评价,从而有助于促进中国慈善事业的健康发展。

In recent years,with the rapid development of China's philanthropy,the question of how much donation being truly generous has been widely debated.In order to respond to this issue at the academic level,we study the concept of generosity and its normative principles from the perspective of virtue ethics.With the transformation of traditional charity into modern philanthropy,the connotation and denotation of generosity should be enriched,deepened and expanded.Generosity is the“practical wisdom”of philanthropists,and it is a concrete action based on generosity or virtue.Therefore,generosity means that a person or an institution gives appropriate morality and virtue in terms of property,knowledge,skills,rights,opportunities,spirit,psychology,love,etc.However,there are limits to the generosity of philanthropists.Aristotle and Cicero have both conducted in-depth discussions on this issue and have made corresponding provisions on generous normative principles.In the modern philanthropy,it is necessary to carry out modern transformation of this normative principle.The“appropriate principle”is a universal and effective principle that generous behavior should follow in practice,and relevant explanations on specific contents have been made.The modernity of the concept of generosity and its normative principles help to make a more rational and scientific moral evaluation of the charitable actions carried out by individuals and institutions,thus contributing to the further healthy development of modern philanthropy.