启蒙、理性与历史——《启蒙的概念》中的历史观念

霍克海默和阿道尔诺在《启蒙的概念》一文中,论述的神话中包含了启蒙,启蒙陷入了神话的观念表明,启蒙和神话在关于世界的二元性、思维的同一性以及必然性的观念方面的一致,都是一种解释世界的世界观。启蒙和神话在解释历史方面有共同的主题,那就是人类必须通过自我牺牲才能够生存。在神话中,这种自我牺牲表现为祭祀制度,而在启蒙中,则表现为等价交换的原则。这是一种狡诈的理性,西方文明的道路就是依靠狡诈的理性来获得自我生存的发展道路,这种发展道路必然会在我们的进步中伴随着退步。要摆脱这种报复、轮回的必然性就是要认识到神话和启蒙中的狡黠的理性的危害,并从中把握积极的启蒙的要素。《启蒙的概念》不是反文明、反理性和反文化的。

Enlightenment, Reason and History——Concept of History in The Concept of Enlightenment

M.Horkheimer and T.W.Adorno hold in The Concept of Enlightenment that enlightenment includes myth and myth signifies enlightenment.Their statement suggests that enlightenment and myth concord on the idea of world dichotomy,identity of mind and the idea of necessity.They are,in essence,a worldview that explains the world.Moreover,they share the same subject in the explanation of history,i.e.man can survive only by way of sacrificing himself.In myth,sacrifice is embodied in sacrificial rites while in enlightenment,it is shown in the principle of equal exchange.This is the trickiness of reason.The road that Western civilization has followed is the survival through the trickiness of reason,and this road will inevitably lead to regression in the process of our progress.To shake off the necessity of retaliation and retribution,we should recognize the danger of the trickiness of reason,and realize the positive role that enlightenment plays.However,The Concept of Enlightenment is by no means against civilization,reason or Western culture.