文明的内涵及其意识形态

The Connotation of Civilization and Its Ideology

文明植根于人的实践的存在方式,表征着人类自身对美好生活的追求,这一概念的背后是一种启蒙主义的进步观念。文明既指人类社会发展的历史过程,也指人类社会发展所达到的历史成就,更重要的是表达了整个人类的社会存在的理想。但是,在人类文明的发展进程中,西方自身的文明概念却异化成了两种意识形态:作为殖民主义的意识形态和作为种族主义的意识形态。文明为西方推行殖民主义提供了合法性辩护,同时也成为论证其种族优越性的合理性根据。因此,“文明”观念逐渐沦为了殖民主义和种族主义所利用的工具,其背后的理论根基也由启蒙主义转变为社会达尔文主义。如果要建立平等的文明观念,就需要破除文明的两种意识形态症候及其理论根基。只有在此意义上,文明的交流互鉴才成为可能,文明新形态才值得期许。

Civilization is rooted in the way of existence of human practice, which represents the pursuit of human beings for a better life. Behind this concept is a kind of enlightenment concept of progress. Civilization not only refers to the historical process of the development of human society, but also refers to the historical achievements achieved by the development of human society. More importantly, it expresses the ideal of the existence of the whole human society. However, in the course of the development of human civilization, the concept of civilization has been alienated into two ideologies: the ideology as colonialism and the ideology as racism. Civilization provides a legitimate justification for the West to carry out colonialism, and at the same time becomes a reasonable basis to demonstrate its racial superiority. As a result, the concept of "civilization" gradually became a tool used by colonialism and racism, and the theoretical basis behind it changed from Enlightenment to social Darwinism. If we want to establish the concept of equal civilization, we need to break down the two ideological symptoms of civilization and their theoretical foundations. Only in this sense can exchanges and mutual learning between civilizations become possible and a new form of civilization is worthy of expectation.