“共通感”——亚里士多德感知学说的轴心

Common Sense:The Core of Aristotle’s Perception Theory

亚里士多德共通感理论认为,眼、耳、鼻、舌、身五种不同的类型并不意味着这五种感觉能力是相互独立的,实际上是人或其他动物“统一的感知能力”的不同分支,虽然各自发挥着不能相互替代的作用,但它们有着相同的根基——“统一的感知能力”,即“共通感”。正是凭借这个“共通感”,对各种不同的感觉印象的集聚、比较与区分,以及对感觉的自我感知才得以可能。亚里士多德的共通感理论有助于我们摆脱自近代以来大行其道的“内感知”学说的困境。

According to Aristotle’s synaesthesia theory,the five senses of eyes,ears,nose,tongue and body do not mean that these five senses are independent from each other,but they are actually different branches of the“unified perception ability”of human beings or other animals.Although each of these five abilities plays its irreplaceable roles,they have the same foundation“unified perception ability”or“common sense”.It is with“common sense”that it is possible for people to gather,compare and distinguish different sensory impressions and gain self-perception.Aristotle’s theory helps us get rid of the dilemma of the“inner perception”theory that has been popular since modern times.