20世纪中国的西方伦理学研究回顾

百余年来,中国学者们对西方伦理学的研究大致经历了萌生期( 1895-1910) 、初兴期(1911-1949) 、萧条期( 1950-1978) 和复兴期( 1979-2000)四个阶段。其研究思路主要有四条: 个案研究, 比较研究( 含要素的、局部的和整体的三个级次) ,历史研究和综合研究( 含微观的、中观的和宏观的三个层面)。总体看来, 个案研究成果颇为丰盛, 要素比较研究在20世纪30-40年代和20世纪80-90年代取得过一定成就, 局部的和整体的比较研究迄今为止成果大多非常简易,历史研究在 20 世纪80-90年代结出了一批硕果, 但在国别史和断代史两方面有一些空白尚需弥补, 中微观综合研究在20 世纪80-90年代达成了可观的收获, 但宏观综合研究迄今依然成果无多且薄弱。在经历了一个多世纪的积累之后,中国学者们应能大规模地开展对西方伦理学的宏观综合研究。

A Retrospect into the Study of Western Ethics by Chinese Scholars in the 20th Century

Chinese scholars'study of western ethics has been coming through a course of more than a hundred years, which may be divided into four periods: germination (1895-1910), preliminary prosperity (1911-1949), depression (1950-1978), and renaissance (1979-2000). In their main lines stand out the case study, comparative study inclusive of elementary, partial and whole viewpoints, historical study, and comprehensive study inclusive of microscopic, mesoscopic and macroscopic perspectives. On the whole, the outcome of their case study has been fairly abundant, that of their elementarily comparative study climbed up to some remarkable degree in 1930's-1940's and in 1980's-1990's, that of their partially and wholly comparative study has been plain for the most part, their historical study fruited in a great deal in 1980's-1990's, leaving however a few virgin fields to cultivate in the history of both single nation and single period, their mesoscopic and microscopic study shared a considerable harvest in 1980's-1990's, but their macroscopic study has been by far producing its works in few and without energy. Standing on the foundation set down in the study of over a century, Chinese scholars should at present be enabled in the macroscopically comprehensive study of western ethics on a large scale.