论严复中西会通视域的老子自由思想研究

A Study of Laozi’s Concept of Freedom within the Syncretic Vision of Chinese and Western Thought in the Context of Yan Fu’s Perspective

严复认为《老子》关于自由思想的基本宗旨以及建立在该宗旨之上的民主意识、论理方式,与西方近代以来的民主与科学精神相通。他不仅指出老子思想中蕴含着无为、物竞、平等、合群等自由思想,还坚决反驳了时人对老子“仁”的误解和批判,坚持认为老子的思想具有民主性,并将“仁”视为天演论的精髓。此外,严复以创新的视角解读老子的“道”,挖掘其科学内涵,将老子的思想提升到了哲学的高度。这种融汇中西的思路,在当今学术研究中依旧有一定价值。

Yan Fu maintained that the fundamental tenets concerning freedom found in Laozi’s Tao Te Ching,along with the democratic consciousness and logical approach built upon them,resonate with the spirit of democracy and science that emerged in the West since the modern era.He not only identified the presence of concepts such as non-action(wuwei),natural selection,equality,and communal harmony,which embody ideas of freedom within Laozi’s philosophy,but also staunchly refuted contemporary misinterpretations and criticisms targeting Laozi’s notion of“benevolence”(ren),asserting that Laozi’s thought inherently possessed democratic qualities and viewed“ren”as the quintessence of evolutionary theory.Furthermore,Yan Fu innovatively interpreted Laozi’s concept of the“Dao”,excavating its scientific connotations,thereby elevating Laozi’s ideas to the level of philosophical discourse.This syncretic approach to Chinese and Western thought in Yan Fu’s analysis of Laozi’s work retains relevance and value in today’s academic research and societal construction.