齐美尔论个性

本文着重考察齐美尔个性观在其生命哲学中的展开。以个性观在德国思想史中的演变为线索，追溯了自文艺复兴经十八世纪启蒙时代，再到十九世纪浪漫主义兴起之后的一系列重要变化，集中讨论了尼采--作为生命哲学的最初阐发者--的贵族理论是如何影响齐美尔的。尼采笔下备受推崇的个体，在与世界整体相剥离之后，失去作为类存在的归宿感，这也是齐美尔探讨现代个性如何持存的起点。齐美尔在现代资本主义劳动分工、艺术创作之形式的转变以及个体生命时间的展开（尤其是死亡的意义）等不同的层次上，对以生命为立足点寻求个体自我的统一作了深入论述。文章最后回应了韦伯和卢卡奇对齐美尔的批评，笔者认为两者分别从理性主义和马克思的历史唯物主义传统反思了齐美尔的生命哲学。

Simmel's Theory on Individuality

This paper aims to unpack Simmel's theory of individuality that is central to his notable vitalist philosophy. Simmel's discussion on the development of individuality in German intellectual history can serve as a lead-in to trace the crucial intellectual changes from the Renaissance to the Enlightenment Period in the 18^th century, and the rise of Romanticism in the 19^th century and afterwards. The first intellectual change was signified by the transition from an emphasis on the uniqueness of individuals in relation to society to the dedication to individual freedom as a mission to the freedom of the entire human species. The 19^th century witnessed a drastic change when capitalism had matured into a complex and impersonal mode of production where individuals became isolated from the world. The unprecedented personal freedom led to atomic individualism, essential to the understanding of Nietzsche's philosophy that once separated from an organic whole, individuals no longer had a sense of belonging to human as a species. This paper discusses extensively Nietzsche's influence on Simmel. Facing a reality where individuals are no longer part of a larger whole, Simmel was particularly interested in the source of energy that moved individuals forward. Simmel looked into various characteristics of modernity such as division of labour in capitalism, transition of artistic forms and extended sensibility of time (especially the meaning of death), and concluded with his conceptualization of individual will as a fundamental for synthesizing modern individuals. The paper concludes with a response to Max Weber and Georg Lukacs's critiques of Simmel's works. Weber shares the individualist stance with Simmel even though he critiqued Simmel's vitalist philosophy from a rationalist standpoint. Lukacs maintained a critical view of the German Idealist Tradition of Simmel's philosophy.