亚当·弗格森的文明演进论

A Critique of Adam Ferguson's Theory of Evolution of Civilization

身处18世纪古今之变的时代背景,面对关涉文明重新定位的"苏格兰时刻",苏格兰思想家们从各自的理论视角出发,创造性地回应了这一时代性难题。亚当·弗格森的迂回式文明进步论主张,即属其中的独特一脉。作为与休谟、斯密同时期的苏格兰启蒙思想家,他的思想观点同样影响巨大。该理论从文明史的高度,通过区分文化与文明之异同,提出制度文明的属性问题,创造性地构建了一套旨在回归古典政治文明的有限度的历史进步论。尽管弗格森的理论包含着内在的吊诡,但其深邃之处在于凸显文明之于社会发展的地位、作用和意义,无疑弥补了休谟、斯密等人的某些理论缺失。20世纪以来,随着西方多元文化和文化认同理论的兴起,弗格森的文明演进论开始受到英美思想界的广泛重视,他提出的文明与历史、民族与文化、演进与衰落等等不乏普遍性的话题,得到了更加深入的讨论。

In the context of change of ancient and modern that concerning the relocation of civilizations, Scottishthinkers made creative response to the epochal problem in their respective perspectives. And Adam Ferguson'stheory on civilization was one of the more influential theories. By differentiating culture and civilization,Ferguson posed the property of system civilization, and constructed a finite theory on historical progress aimingat restoration of classical political civilization. His theory addressed some of the problems inherent in thetheories of his contemporaries such as Hume and Adam Smith. In the 20th century, Ferguson's theories havebecome popular again especially in England and America. His theories are valuable for their discussions on therelationship between civilization and culture, history and social development, and progress and decline ofcivilizations.