洛克哲学可知论与不可知论矛盾探析

【作者】 王青；

【导师】 崔永杰；

【作者基本信息】 山东师范大学 ， 外国哲学， 2002， 硕士

【摘要】 作为近代英国经验论的集大成者，洛克试图摈弃旧的形而上学体系，倾注全力探讨认识问题，从而建立了近代第一个系统完整的认识论体系。在其复杂庞大的哲学体系中，最初由培根提出的经验论基本原则得到系统地论证，同时也暴露出了唯物主义一元论与二元论、可知论与不可知论、经验主义与理性主义等一系列的矛盾。他的学说形成了后来许多思想路线的出发点，对后世产生了十分重要的影响。本文将着重探讨其哲学中可知论与不可知论之间的矛盾，深入分析这一矛盾，无论是对于我们正确理解和客观评价洛克哲学，还是深入探讨近代经验论由唯物主义向唯心主义、由可知论向不可知论演变的内在逻辑，进而总结人类认识史上理论思维的经验教训都具有重大意义。 本文首先集中阐述了洛克哲学中可知论与不可知论矛盾的具体表现：在实体问题上，洛克认为实体在本体论上具有实在性，在认识论上具有不可知性。在他看来，实体作为可感性质的支托，是建立在假设基础之上的存在，作为概括实体的物质实体、精神实体都是存在的。但是，我们对各种实体都不能形成清楚明白的实体观念，我们只能推断并肯定实体的存在，而对于它们究竟是什么，我们永远也无法知道，而且也根本不可能知道。在事物的本质问题上，洛克认为事物的名义本质可知，实在本质不可知。按照他的理论，名义本质是事物的“种”和“类”本质，是那些由概括性名词所代表的、对物体各种性质的简单观念集合体所形成的抽象观念，因而，名义本质是可以被认识的。实在本质是一切性质所依托的、物体不可感的内部结构，由于感官的限制，我们只能认识事物的表面现象而不能认识事物的内在结构，所以，实在本质是不可认识的。在知识的范围问题上，洛克认为人类的知识只能达到概然性，而不能臻于普遍必然性。他指出，观念是知识的直接对象和范围，一切观念又以实体观念为基础，而实体和其在本质是不可知的，并且人们的认识也仅限于直接呈现于感官的外部对象，只能获得关于个别事物具体属性的简单观念，根本无法达到事物的本质属性和普遍规律。因而，经验只能提供概然性的知识，不能提供普遍必然性的知识。 接着，本文进一步深入探究了洛克哲学中可知论与不可知论矛盾产生的内在必然性。对人类理智的批判是矛盾产生的逻辑前提。洛克在西方哲学史上首次将人类理智也即人的认识能力作为哲学的研究对象，对哲学的目的和任务作了全然不同于传统哲学的规定：即通过对人类理智的考察，进而探讨人类知识的起源、确定性和范围，以及信仰、意见和同意的各种根据和程度。他试图通过对人类认识能力本身的研究来确定理智能力本身的适用范围，以保证人类认识的准确性和可靠性，这种在哲学上画地为牢的做法客观上决定了他在理论上必定会陷入不可知的境地。实体范畴存在弊端是矛盾产生的必然原因。在洛克那里，实体是与属性分离的、可感性质的支托。实体的属性是可以感知的，而实体本身却是“知觉帷幕”背后的、纯粹超验的东西。这种规定之下的实体实际上是一种空洞的、没有任何实际内容的抽象，由于离开了属性的实体没有任何现实的实在性，因而实体的不可知性是不言而喻的。应该看到，实体的不可知性逻辑的蕴涵在实体的规定之中，并且这种规定是自亚里土多德、笛卡尔以来传统哲学的基本观点。洛克不过是将实体不可知这一点“大白于天下”罢了。经验论的片面性是导致可知论与不可知论矛盾产生的直接原因。洛克在系统论证经验论基本原则的同时，一方面使经验论的合理因素得到更充分的发挥，另一方面也使其自身的局限性明显地暴露出来；他把认识对象和作为认识起点的感觉混同，取消了作为最终认识对象的特殊实体；他只保留思维对经验现成内容的组合、比较、抽象作用，把具有普遍性的抽象观念看成人心主观虚构的产物，正是这一切，不仅使其将“概括的实体”说成是一种假设，而且也使得他不能理解高度抽象和概括的“实在本质”，从而否定了人们最终认识世界的可能性。思维方式的形而上学性是矛盾产生的主要原因。受形而上学思维方式的影响，洛克割裂了个别与一般、具体与抽象。有限与无限、相对与绝对之间的辩证关系，只承认具体的个别现象，否认对现象进行抽象形成的一般和本质；只看到人类认识的有限性和相对性，忽视了认识的无限发展过程和走向绝对的必然趋势。而这一切，则是导致洛克走向不可知论的重要原因。 最后，本文还详尽分析了洛克哲学中可知论与不可知论矛盾对后世的影响及评价。它导致英国经验论由唯物主义向唯心主义的演变：巴克莱利用洛克实体学说存在的矛盾，取消物质实体，肯定精神实体，建立起唯心主义的哲学体系，完成了英国经验论从唯物主义向唯心主义的转变。它导致英国经验论由可知论向不可知论的转变：休漠承袭了洛克的经验主义传统，把经验论的基本原则贯彻到底。他只承认知觉的唯一实在性，把包括物质实体与精神实体在内的一切超验的存在都排除在知识的范围之外，否认因果联系的必然性和规律的客观性，走向彻底的不可知论，从而把经验论哲学发展引入死胡同。它揭开更多还原

【Abstract】 As a comprehensive expression of modern English empiricism, Locke attempts to cast away antiquated metaphysics system and throws all his energy into epistemology question, thereby sets up the first integrated epistemology system of modern times. Basic principles of empiricism advanced by Bacon are proved systematically in his complicated and enormous philosophical system, it exposes a series of contradictions between materialism monism and dualism, cognoscism and agnosticism, empiricism and rationalism and so on at the same time. His theory forms the starting point of many ideological lines afterwards and produces a very important influence on later ages. This article will stress the contradiction between cognoscism and agnosticism in his philosophy. Analyzing thoroughly this contradiction will have great significance for us to understand correctly and evaluate objectively Locke’ s philosophy and to probe into evolutional inter logic of modern empiricism from materialism to idealism, from cognoscism to agnosticism and sum up experience and lesson of theoretical thought of human cognitive history.This article gives an exposition to specific expression of the contradiction between cognoscism and agnosticism of Locke’ s philosophy at first. Locke asserts that substance is essential in ontology and is of acatalepsy in epistemology. He believes as a support of sensible qualities, substance is an existence on the basis of supposition. Corporeal substance and spiritual substance are all exist, but we can’ t make distinct and obvious idea of each substance, only can we deduce and confirm its existence, while what is the substance on earth, we don’ t know forever and we can’ t know at all. Thing’ s nominal essence is cognoscible and its essence of reality is unknown. Locke considers nominal essence is species essence or category essence of object and abstract idea of simple ideacollection of object with all sorts of qualities expressed by general phrase, so nominal essence is cognizable. Essence of reality is interior structure supported by all qualities and not sensed by object, because of the limitation of sensory organ, we can recognize superficial phenomenon of object only, while we can’ t recognize interior structure of object, so essence of reality can’ t be recognized. Human’ s knowledge reaches generality, while it can’ t reach universality and certainty. Locke thinks that idea is direct object and limits of knowledge, and all ideas base on the idea of substance. But substance and its true essence are unknown, and only external object presented by sensory organ can be recognized. Human can acquire simple idea about concrete attributes of individual objects and can’ t recognize essential attributes and universal law, so experience can offer general knowledge only and can’ t furnish knowledge with universality and certainty.The article makes a thorough inquiry into intrinsic necessity of the contradiction between cognoscism and agnosticism next. Logical premise of the contradiction is criticism to human intellect. Locke takes human intellect as research object of philosophy for the first time in west philosophical history. He stipulates the aim and assignment of philosophy that different from traditional philosophy, and his purpose is to inquire into original, certainty, and extent of human knowledge, together with the grounds and degrees of belief, opinion and assent. That is to say, he tries to define appropriate extent of human intellect to assure reliability and accuracy through the research on human cognitive ability, but the way of restricting one’ s activity to a designated area or sphere results in agnosticism directly. Inevitable cause of contradiction is substance category with malpractice. Locke deems that substance is support of sensible qualities without attribute. Attribute of substance isn’ t sensible, while it is a thing of exceeded experience at the back of heavy curtain of consciousness. Substance is a hollow abstract without realistic5content, because substance has any real exis更多还原