道德历史主义:普遍性和相对性之间

道德普遍主义要求以普适性的道德理论规制人类实践生活,然而由于其忽视了实践生活本身的复杂性,最终导致各种现代道德理论众说纷纭。在此背景下,道德相对主义以情感主义、非理性主义等新面貌重返现代社会,直接否认了道德客观性。在这两种极端之间,道德历史主义以一种折中姿态出现,既强调道德客观性的一面,又强调道德相对性的一面。然而,该主张虽然克服了道德普遍主义的局限,却因强调道德相对性而陷入同道德相对主义的暧昧之中。如果要摆脱道德相对主义,它又要向道德普遍主义倾斜。这种介于二者间的张力,既是其魅力所在,又是其困难所在。

Moral Historicism:Between Universality and Relativity

Moral universalism requires the universal moral theory to regulate human practical life. However, because it ignores the complexity of practical life itself, it eventually leads to various modern moral theories. In this context, moral relativism returns to modern society with new features such as emotionalism and irrationalism, and directly denies the objectivity of morality. Between these two extremes, moral historicism appears in a compromise posture, emphasizing both the objectivity of morality and the relativity of morality. However, although this proposition overcomes the limitations of moral universalism, it falls into ambiguity with moral relativism because of its emphasis on moral relativity. If we want to get rid of moral relativism, it will tilt towards moral universalism. This tension between the two is both its charm and its difficulty.