道德信仰及其当代意义

道德信仰是一个生成的完整范畴。“道德”是其基础,信仰是其“着力点”。道德信仰是指道德的形而上学之基础,一是指道德形成的前提性的精神基础;二是指道德的终极向往即道德的最高目标和最高境界。对“人性”的理解及其相应的态度(信仰)是道德形成的精神基础;对“人生意义”的理解及其相应的态度是道德的最高目标和最高境界。道德信仰之所以是必要的,在于它依赖信仰实现道德中所谓动机与效果的统一。人们对“人性”与“人生意义”有相当不同的理解,现实生活中的道德信仰也据此产生两种不同的指向:一是世俗的现实生活指向;一是超俗的宗教生活指向。深化道德信仰研究,有利于明晰社会主义道德的精神基础,有利于强化社会主义道德的凝聚功能,有利于改善社会主义道德的教育方式。

Moral Belief and Its Contemporary Significance

Moral belief is a complete generative category."Morals" is its basis and "belief" the "fulcrum".Moral belief refers to the metaphysical basis of morals,namely the prerequisite spiritual basis for the formation of morals,and the ultimate aspiration of morals,or the supreme objective and supreme state.The understanding of "humanity" and corresponding attitude(belief) are the spiritual basis for the formation of morals;the understanding of "significance of life" and corresponding attitude are the supreme objective and supreme state.The necessity for the moral belief lies in its reliance on belief in realizing the unification of motive and effect in morals."Humanity" and "significance of life" are interpreted differently,resulting in two orientations of moral belief in reality: one is a secular reality orientation;the other is an other-worldly religious orientation.The spiritual basis of socialist morals can be better understood by this kind of study,which also contributes to increasing the cohesion of socialist morals and changing its educational pattern.