休谟对古典奢侈观的批判及其现代性阐释--一种基于历史语境转换的视角

Hume′s Criticism of the Classical View of Luxury and Its Modern Interpretation--A perspective based on historical context transformation

18世纪,西方在从古典向现代的转型中,如何利用古典话语资源阐释现代社会成为思想家们的重要课题。其中,在18世纪奢侈所具有的社会内涵发生了根本性转变,休谟站在现代商业社会的立场上驳斥了古典共和主义对奢侈的批判。古典共和主义认为奢侈是个人和国家腐败的根源,休谟则以效用主义的德性观重塑了奢侈的内涵,从个人、政治、经济、社会、军事等不同方面论证了奢侈的积极意义,使其更加符合商业社会的需要。换言之,休谟从理论上证明了奢侈对现代商业社会在政治上和经济上所具有的可行性,从而推动了历史语境的古今转换。

In the 18th century,during the transition from classical to modern in the West,how to use classical discourse resources to interpret the modern society has become an important issue for thinkers.Among them,in the 18th century,the social connotation of luxury had undergone a fundamental change.Hume refuted the criticism of classical republicanism on luxury from the standpoint of the modern commercial society.Classical republicanism holds that luxury is the root of personal and national corruption,while Hume remolded the connotation of luxury with a utilitarian view of virtue,and demonstrated the positive significance of luxury from individual,political,economic,social,military,and other aspects,so as to make it more in line with the needs of a commercial society.In other words,Hume theoretically proved the political and economic feasibility of luxury in the modern commercial society,thus promoting the transformation of historical context.