存在:运动,形式还是成全——亚里士多德论形而上学的核心问题

Being: motion, form or actuality

柏拉图之前的希腊哲学传统,对存在问题的回答形成了存在是运动还是静止的两条道路。柏拉图总结并反思了这一问题。通过提出“成全”(ἐνέργεια)才是存在,亚里士多德更新了这一问题的框架。一方面,他将两条道路中的运动和静止的形式(实体)都说成是某种意义上的成全;另一方面,提出只有既是“目的在自身之中”又是某种“动态”的严格的“成全活动”才最是存在。最终,他将运动、实体(形式)、成全活动纳入存在的三个等级,并显示成全才最是存在。

In the Greek philosophical tradition before Plato,the answer to the question of being formed the two paths of being is motion and being is rest.Plato summed up and reflected on this question.By offering that actuality(activity)is being,Aristotle updated the framework of the problem.On the one hand,he described both the motion and the static form(substance)in the two paths as actuality in some sense;On the other hand,he argues that only strict activity,which are both ends in itself and some kind of dynamic,is most likely to being.Finally,the motion,substance(form)and activity will be included in the three levels of being,and shown that activity is the real being.