论保守主义的本质--以埃德蒙·柏克思想为中心的研究

如今,“保守主义”一词已经出现泛化的趋势,并引起诸多误解。为重新界定该词的内涵与外延,可以借助对保守主义鼻祖——柏克思想的探讨来认清保守主义的本质。从历史渊源看,柏克思想的核心实际上包括两个方面——第一,强调经验(人类理性的对立物),避免蹈入形而上学;第二,强调传统(上帝意志的中介物),避免蹈入怀疑主义。因此,保守主义的本质也包括这两个方面:既破除理性的权威(保护个人自由),又树立上帝的权威(维持社会秩序)。由于坚持理性的有限性,柏克在处理上帝与个人之间的中介物——历史或传统时,必定会出现无法分辨的困顿,但这种困顿是基干人的有限(与上帝之间有无限之距离),因此是必要的。任何因之对柏克思想的修正都会偏离保守主义的本质。

On the Nature of Conservatism --Focus on Edmond Berke's Thoughts

From the aspect of historical origin, Berke's thoughts include two fields: the first is to pay more attention to experience (the opposite of human ration) and to avoid falling into metaphysics; the second is to pay more attention to tradition (the medium of God's will) and avoid falling into skepticism. Accordingly, the nature of conservatism includes two fields too: one is to destroy the authority of ration (protect individual liberty), the other is to build up the authority of God (protect the social order). Because of keeping the idea that there is limitation with human ration, Berke must face the difficulty that he could not distinguish history of tradition, the medium between the God and man, but this difficulty is based on the limitation of human (there is a unlimited distance between the God and man), it is unavoidable. Any attempt to amend Berke's thoughts will drift off the nature of conservatism.