命题之真与灵魂成真:亚里士多德的双重真理观

The Truth of Propositions and the Truth of the Soul:Aristotle’s Dual Conception of Truth

亚里士多德将命题之真界定为思想中的词语的结合与分离,而同时命题之真又在于与事物相似。然而,亚里士多德并没有将真理仅仅局限为命题之真,还有更重要的真理是灵魂成真,包括技艺、科学、明智、智慧与理智,可以分为实践的真与沉思的真两类。灵魂成真是从命题的肯定或否定上升而来,通过命题性知识的多次积淀形成某种单一性的潜能,并在灵魂中的欲求部分的作用下形成一种稳定的秉有。命题之真与灵魂成真都属于存在之真,后者是首要的存在之真。从人到神被认为是从理性到思想,人之理性既有命题之真又有灵魂成真,思想则不再有命题之真。基督教不承认神是思想自身的思想,人也不能依靠沉思科学实现存在的超越,因此,真理修饰的对象或真理的处所只能是命题,真理不再与灵魂上升关联。

It is usually considered that the locus of truth is in propositions like“this flower is red”,a notion that originates from Aristotle.Aristotle defined the truth of propositions as the combination and separation of words in thought,and the truth of propositions lies in their resemblance to things.However,Aristotle did not confine truth solely to propositions;there is a more important truth,namely the truth of the soul.1.True propositions are the most fundamental part of scientific knowledge.Propositions are composed of words or terms,which are combined and separated.True propositions,when combined,form reasoning,and necessary reasoning is proof.Science is a kind of possession of proof,a system of proof.2.In the truth of propositions,the subject or locus of truth is the proposition.In the truth of the soul,the subject or locus of truth becomes the soul.The truth of the soul requires transforming the externally oriented true propositions into an internal possession of the soul,generating a potential after the soul uses the true propositions.The truth of the soul can be categorized into practical truth and contemplative truth,namely prudence and wisdom.Both the truth of propositions and the truth of the soul are truths of being,but the latter is the more primary truth of being.3.The truth of propositions resides in propositions or sentences,i.e.,logos,while the highest being is nous.Does the distinction between the truth of propositions and the truth of the soul equate to the distinction between the truth of logos and the truth of nous?The two truths are not equivalent to the distinction between logos and nous.The truth of propositions is always a kind of truth of logos,but logos also includes non propositional rhetorical sentences.Even if the truth of the soul converges into the two forms of perfection,prudence and wisdom,intellect and wisdom are closely related yet distinct.As a being with logos,human activities are all within the operation of logos,but this does not exclude the sharing and aspiration for nous.The soul,detached from the level of propositional truth and the possession of the truth of the soul,can achieve a separate,pure life of nous(thought)and be with the divine nous.4.The conception of truth in ancient Greek philosophy is closely related to its theory of the soul and metaphysics,thus establishing the dual conception of the truth of propositions and the truth of the soul.The Christian God is no longer a thought that only engages in the activity of self fulfillment,unconcerned with all things.The essence of God is defined as infinite potential.As beings similar to God,humans can no longer resemble God through thought or reason but only through infinite will.Therefore,human ascension can no longer rely on science and thought but only on an ethical relationship with God.Contemplative science as a path to truth is denied,and thus,the object adorned by truth or the locus of truth can only be propositions,and truth is no longer associated with the ascension of the soul.