50楼不言之教爸爸
(不言之教,无为之益,天下稀及之)
发表于 2008-5-11 18:34
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以下是一篇我翻译的德国哲学家康德的短文,曾经在全球读经教育网上以“山里人”的网名挂出过。希望内行多多指点。
————兰兰的好爸爸注
XI.ON GOOD WILL
by Immanuel Kant (1724 – 1804)
NOTHING can possibly be conceived in the world, or even out of it, which can be called good, without qualification, except a GOOD WILL. Intelligence , wit, judgment, and the other talents
of the mind, however they may be named, or courage, resolution, perseverance as qualities of temperament, are undoubtedly good and desirable in many respects; but these gifts of nature may also become extremely bad and mischievous if the will which is to make use of them, and which therefore, constitutes what is called character, is not good. It is the same with the gifts of fortune. Power, riches, honour, even health, and the general well-being and contentment with one’s condition which is called happiness, inspire pride, and often presumption, if there is not a good will to correct the influence of these on the mind, and with this also to rectify the whole principle of acting, and adapt it to its end. The sight of a being who is not adorned with a single feature of a pure and good will, enjoying unbroken prosperity, can never give pleasure to an impartial rational spectator. Thus a good will appears to constitute the indispensable condition even of being worthy of happiness.
A good will is good not because of what it performs of effects, not by its aptness for the attainment of some proposed end, but simply by virtue of the volition, that is, it is good in itself, and considered by itself is to be esteemed much higher than all that can be brought about by it in favour of any inclination, nay, even of the sum-total of all inclinations。
论善意(兰兰的好爸爸修改于2006-12-28)
在这世界上,或更有甚者,在这世界之外,凡是人能够想象出来的可以无条件称之为善的东西,除了善意,别无他物。高超的智力,机敏的反应,明智的判断,以及其它种类的无论怎样称呼之的大脑的才华;或者有勇气,有决心,坚韧不拔等性情上的品质,在许多方面无疑是良好的和令人钦慕的。但是这些上天的恩赐也会成为极其有害的和恶贯满盈的东西,倘若发挥这些天赋的欲念,或是组建成所谓性格的意志,是不善的。命运的赐福也情同此理。权位、财富、荣耀,甚至良好的健康和衣食无忧及称心如意的满足感,会滋生助长骄傲自大,和更多时候的妄自尊大,倘若没有善意去消除它们作用于心灵的影响,没有善意去纠正人的处世之道并将其纳入向善的方向。目睹一个家伙身上全无半点纯洁善良之意愿所打扮出的痕迹,却安享着无休无止的荣华富贵,决不会给一个中立公正的冷眼旁观者丝毫好感。如此看来,善意构成了有资格享受幸福的不可或缺的条件。善意之所以是善的并非因为它所生成的效果,并非因为它有助于顺风顺水达到要去的目地,而仅仅在于选择为善的力量是善的,那就是,善意本身即是善(的)。善意所赞许的任何欲有所为的情感,不,所赞许的所有这种情感的总合,以及由它而产生出的一切结果,都远远不及善意本身更值得珍贵。.