读中国哲学与古书时，应该注意形而上与形而上学是两个不同的概念。
形而上学是英语Metaphysics的中文翻译，而形而上三个字来自易经中的‘形而上者谓之道’。可是易经中所指的形而上是超乎形象之外的非现实世界，和形而上学所要研究的是课题是不同的。
形而上学主要是讨论存在和与宇宙的问题，所以它的课题是：宇宙论、本体论。
宇宙论讨论宇宙的整体和人在其中的位置。本体论讨论世上的万物和物与物之间的关系。
可见，形而上学所讨论的是实物，与易经里‘形而下者谓之器’的器反而吻合。看起来，Metaphysics的中文译名应该是形而下学了。
可是，最近一些人，非哲学家，常用Metaphysics来形容超乎形象之外的非现实世界，如灵魂学，信仰治疗，水晶力量，方术，之流。这些课题都不在传统形而上学研究范围内的。
.
The Chinese readers may be forgiven for confusing the term Above-Form with Metaphysics. The cause of confusion is a result of translating the English word Metaphysics into Chinese by borrowing words from Yijing.
Metaphysics is called 'Xing Er Shang Xue 形而上学' and the words Xing Er Shang come from Yijing's 'Xing Er Shang Zhe Wei Zhi Dao (What is Above Form is called the Dao)'. Xing Er Shang in Yijing refers to things that are Above Form, or things that are without shapes and features, ie non-physical things.
But metaphysics is traditionally more concerned with physical things than non-physical things. It is concerned with explaining the ultimate nature of being and the world. Cosmology and ontology are traditional branches of metaphysics.
Cosmology is study of the Universe in its totality, and by extension, humanity's place in it. Ontology is the investigation of what types of things there are in the world and what relations these things bear to one another.
So, Metaphysics is very much dealing with physical things. The term used in Yijing to describe the physical things is actually 'Within-Form' (Xing Er Xia). It would therefore appear that a better Chinese translation of metaphysics is 'Xing Er Xia Xue 形而下学'. Sigh...
However, it is noted that more recently, the term "metaphysics" has also been used by non-philosophers to refer to "subjects that are beyond the physical world", such as studies on spirits, faith healing, crystal power, occultism, and other such topics which the philosophic pursuit of metaphysics generally does not include....Sigh...sigh.....
Metaphysics is called 'Xing Er Shang Xue 形而上学' and the words Xing Er Shang come from Yijing's 'Xing Er Shang Zhe Wei Zhi Dao (What is Above Form is called the Dao)'. Xing Er Shang in Yijing refers to things that are Above Form, or things that are without shapes and features, ie non-physical things.
But metaphysics is traditionally more concerned with physical things than non-physical things. It is concerned with explaining the ultimate nature of being and the world. Cosmology and ontology are traditional branches of metaphysics.
Cosmology is study of the Universe in its totality, and by extension, humanity's place in it. Ontology is the investigation of what types of things there are in the world and what relations these things bear to one another.
So, Metaphysics is very much dealing with physical things. The term used in Yijing to describe the physical things is actually 'Within-Form' (Xing Er Xia). It would therefore appear that a better Chinese translation of metaphysics is 'Xing Er Xia Xue 形而下学'. Sigh...
However, it is noted that more recently, the term "metaphysics" has also been used by non-philosophers to refer to "subjects that are beyond the physical world", such as studies on spirits, faith healing, crystal power, occultism, and other such topics which the philosophic pursuit of metaphysics generally does not include....Sigh...sigh.....
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment