现代性自我确证结构:末日论时间观与主体理性的汇流

The Self-Reassurance Structure of Modernity: The Confluence of Apocalyptic Time Perspective and Subjective Reason

自我确证作为切入现代性哲学话语的钥匙,源于基督教末日论线性时间观与主体理性在现代性进程中的最终汇流。上帝提供的末日救赎许诺扭转了古希腊人困于“天命循环”而无所作为的生存态度,人们的在世生存样态转变为“奉教修行”以寻求未来救赎。该以未来为起点从而不断凸显当下的末日论线性时间观一直延续到现代,然而上帝在现代性社会的退场导致未来承诺无人可提供,也即现代性的合法性确证问题被凸显出来。同时主体理性渐成现代性核心原则,最终主体理性取代上帝理性,末日论时间观与主体理性汇流,现代性自我确证结构由此定型。

Self-reassurance as a key to the philosophical discourse of modernity stems from the ultimate convergence of the Christian apocalyptic linear view of time and subjective reason in the process of modernity. The promise of salvation offered by God at the end of time liberates people from the cycle of providence of the ancient Greek cyclical view of time, and the mode of earthly existence of people changes to self-reliance in search of future salvation. However, the withdrawal of God in modern society has led to the unavailability of future promises, i.e., the problem of legitimacy of modernity has been highlighted. At the same time, subjective rationality gradually becomes the core principle of modernity, and eventually subjective rationality replaces God’s rationality, and the apocalyptic view of time converges with subjective rationality, thus finalizing the structure of self-validation of modernity. And the main tone of the philosophical discourse of modernity has been set since then.