古希腊自然哲学与民主政制的共生关系——兼论科学民主的起源与认识论基础

The Symbiotic Relationship between Philosophy of Nature and Democratic Political System in Ancient Greece:On the Origin and Epistemological Basis of Scientific Democracy

从编年史来看,古希腊自然哲学与民主政制有着明显的同兴共衰的历史关联。古希腊民主政制不仅让自然哲学产生所依赖的社会分工成为可能,还为各种自然观的争鸣与发展提供了适宜的社会环境。民主政制蕴含的分歧、妥协、公共参与等特质是构建古希腊自然观必不可少的过程要素。古希腊自然哲学家就不同自然观的争鸣及融合表现出显著的民主特征,是古希腊自然哲学民主的生动写照。以人为尺度的相对主义认识论纲领是古希腊民主政制和自然哲学民主的认识论基础,但相对主义思潮的泛滥也产生了消极的政治影响。在反思、批判民主政制并重建绝对真理体系的过程中,自然哲学随着雅典政制的消亡而走向衰败。

From the perspective of chronicle,there is a clear historical correlation of apparent joint prosperity and decline between the philosophy of nature and the democratic government in ancient Greece.Ancient Greek democracy not only makes possible the social division of labor on which the philosophy of nature depends,but also provides a suitable social environment for the contention and creation of various views on nature.Such features as difference,compromise and public participation in democratic politics are indispensable process elements to construct the ancient Greek view on nature.The argument and fusion between/among different views from ancient Greek philosophers of nature has showed the remarkable democratic characteristics,which has become a vivid portrayal of nature philosophy democracy.The epistemological program of relativism based on human scale was the epistemological basis of its democratic government and nature philosophy democracy,but the overflowing of relativism had also produced negative political influence.In the process of rethinking and criticizing the democratic politics and of simultaneously rebuilding the system of absolute truth,the philosophy of nature gradually declined with the demise of the Athenian politics.