韦伯伦理-经济"理想类型"的道德哲学结构

韦伯关于“新教资本主义”的“理想类型”是20世纪影响最大的两大伦理—经济理论之一。“理想类型”以柏拉图的“理型”为哲学向度和形上资源,以宗教学与伦理学的合一为方法论特质。在道德哲学方面,它建构的是“宗教—伦理—理性经济行为”的三维实践理性结构和“最好的动力—最强的动力”浑然一体的二维实践意志结构。三维实践理性结构与二维实践意志结构形成了“理想类型”的道德哲学品质。由宗教—伦理—理性经济行为构成的三维结构,比起伦理—经济行为的二维结构,对以新教为文化背景的资本主义文明具有更大的理论合理性与历史合理性,但如果将它泛化为超越文化传统的“理想类型”,便潜藏着深刻的逻辑矛盾和学术危机。

Max Weber's Ideal Type Ethics-Economics and Its Moral Philosophical Structure

One of the two most influential theories of ethics-economics is the ideal type of Protestant capitalism elaborated by Max Weber. Its philosophy is rooted in Plato's philosophy of reason, and its methodological feature is the integration of religion and ethics. As to the aspects of moral philosophy, it establishes a tridimensional structure of practical reason being composed of religion, ethics, and economic activities of reason, and a bidimensional structure of practical will being composed of the best motivating force and the strongest motivating force as well. The aforesaid two structures constitute the spirit of its moral philosophy. Compared with the bidimensional structure of ethics and economics, the tridimensional structure of religion, ethics and reason has more theoretical and historical justifications to the Protestant capitalist civilization. However, to make the ideal type universally true, without considering the cultural differences, will lead to a blunder logical fallacy and an academic crisis.