非理想情境下的孝道:慈善还是义务?

Filial Piety in a Non-Ideal Context:Supererogation or Obligation?

在《儒道思想与现代社会》一书中,方旭东给出了关于赡养义务的论证,但是,他通过权利论和感恩论来讨论赡养义务是不成功的。权利论并没有否定赡养义务,而感恩论并不能支持赡养义务。由关系论证可以发现,亲密关系本身要求我们有义务去赡养年迈的父母。如果把关系论证运用到非理想情境下的孝道问题,即我们该如何面对问题父母,可以得出的结论是,我们没有义务去赡养极端的问题父母。

This paper focuses on Fang Xudong’s argument for the duty of caring for one’s elder parents.Fangappeals to the idea of rights and the idea of reciprocity to support this duty.I argue that both ideas fail to supportthis duty.I argue that the idea of rights does not deny the obligation of caring for one’s elder parents and that theidea of reciprocity does not confirm this obligation either.I propose a new argument.I appeal to the relationalargument.I argue that the personal and intimate nature of our relationship implies that we are obligated to care forour elder parents.I also apply this relational argument to discuss the issue of filial piety in a non-ideal context:how should one treat one’s immoral parents.I conclude that one is not obligated to support one’s immoral parents.