语言、文字与物质的实证问题--论“四重证据法”的“物证优先”原则

The Empirical Issue of Speech,Writing and Material:On the Material-Evidence-First Principle of the Quadruple Evidence Method

传统考据学在现代转型过程中形成了以“疑古派”为代表的新型考据史学。“疑古辨伪”的矛头指向传统学术的“文献中心主义”,在实证科学经验主义原则的支持下,发展成以“四重证据法”为方法论、以“物证优先”说为标志的“考古学转向”。本文通过西方阐释学和分析哲学中的“语言转向”指出语言问题的复杂性,通过中国文化不同于西方的“字本位”指出“文字中心主义”的合理性,通过考古学自身的局限指出“物证优先”的有限性,试图还原在语言、文字和物质之间进行等级排序背后的哲学预设,并揭示由此引起的不自洽。

In the process of modern transformation of Chinese traditional textual criticism,a new textual historiography represented by the"skeptical school"came into being. Under the effect of scientific skepticism,the authenticity of the ancient documents was seriously questioned. With the support of the principles of positivism,the method of"quadruple evidence method"and the theory of"material evidence first"have been developed as the sign of the"Archaeological Turn". This article points out the complexity of language issues through the"Linguistic Turn"in the background of hermeneutics and analytical philosophy,and indicates that the rationality of"character-centrism"in Chinese culture in comparison with phonecentrism in western linguistics,and concludes that the limitations of archaeology itself leads to the limitations of the theory of"material evidence first". This article attempts to find the presuppositions of those ideas which made a hierarchical ranking among language,writing and material and tries to reveal the incoherency caused by them.