民主、科学与哲学--罗蒂对杜威哲学的解读

罗蒂对杜威哲学遗产的批判、继承、利用和发展在美国哲学界一直是有争议的。杜威哲学的主要贡献不在于他在哲学认识论方面对科学方法的探索,而在于他对历史主义态度和自由民主思想的推崇。在杜威那里,民主仍然兼容于一般意义上的哲学和科学。罗蒂的“民主不仅先于哲学,而且先于科学”主张表明了他对杜威哲学的批判和发展。在罗蒂那里,民主不仅先于传统的普遍形而上学和特定民族文化,而且先于跨越传统文化共同体(跨越国界的)的现代科学。罗蒂对杜威哲学的批判性解读是一种伟大的误读,实际上蕴含着把政治学或公共哲学当作第一哲学的含义,为解决现实社会争端提供了一条可行的途径。

Democracy, Science and Philosophy: Rorty's Interpretation of Dewey's Philosophy

The approach Rorty wants to inherit and critically develop John Dewey's philosophy is always disputed in American philosophy.In the light of reviewing Rorty's comments on Dewey's main contribution to modern philosophy,this paper tries to present some reading of Dewey from Rorty.That is,Dewey's main contribution is not in the areas of epistemology and scientific method,but in his active affirming the ideas of historicism and liberty democracy.This reading presents "an anti-philosophy position" or "a social political theory position" from Dewey's philosophy.Though it is a great misreading,its reasonability vividly expresses a statement,that is,"democracy not only prior to philosophy but also to sciences",and its direct explanation is that democracy not only prior to traditionally universal metaphysics and special national cultures,but also to modern science beyond traditional cultural communities.It provides some desirable approach to dissolve human social disputes.