重访全球化时代理论的未来

On the Future of the Future of Theory

本文拟对理论作一番审视和诊断以预测理论在当下及未来的发展方向。文章首先回顾了本人2002年的著作《理论的未来》,该书旨在回应风靡当时的共识--理论已经死亡。笔者认为这种死刑判决为时过早。理论不仅在今天仍具有生命力,而且显然在未来也将得以延续。笔者评估了20世纪90年代受到驳斥的理论:一种来自马克思主义或解构思想的强势理论;相比之下,由新理论探索催生的、具有多重复调且相对较弱的理论更为人青睐。新理论遵循德里达后期的思想,但对理论的一些主张表示怀疑。在不断涌现的新理论中,笔者着重讨论三种主要的批评话语:情感理论、生态批评和后拉康式精神分析学,并援引自己书中的例子进行阐释。文章最后得出结论,由于视角健康多样,理论在当今依旧充满活力。

This paper attempts to provide both a survey and a diagnosis about Theory,trying to predict a future of Theory.This is done first by surveying the author’s earlier book,the 2002 The Future of Theory,written as a response to the then prevalent consensus that Theory was dead.By refusing this premature death sentence,and showing that Theory is not only alive today but has obviously a future,the author assesses what had been rejected in the 1990 s:a strong and domineering Theory,whether coming from Marxism or Deconstruction,to which are preferred multiple,polyphonic and weaker theoretical ventures of new theoretical ventures,which follows the line of thought deployed by the later Derrida who had become skeptical about the claims of Theory as such.Among new schools that the author sees as emerging,the author focus on three main critical discourses:affect theory,ecological criticism,and post-Lacan psychoanalytical approaches,each time giving examples from his own work.The conclusion is that Theory is thriving today thanks to a healthy multiplicity of points of view.