論安妮‧貝森的神智學轉向：宗教、科學與改革

安妮．貝森（Annie Besant, 1847-1933）是英國著名社運領導者，一生領導眾多運動，如現世運動、社會主義運動、工會運動、神智學運動及印度自治爭取運動等；由於關懷範圍廣泛，跨越各種乍似不相容的社會議題，是以其生平經常引人費解並備受爭議。本文聚焦在貝森最為令人困惑的神智學轉向，探討她為何於不惑之年投身旨在宣揚東方思想的神祕團體。相對於傳統觀點，我將指出，貝森之抉擇不但有其時代合理性，並具有高度時代標誌意義。神智學之於貝森，既是時代信仰危機下的另類靈性選項，回應基督教之僵化教義與倫理侷限而不放棄靈性追尋；同時也是對於當代科學的批判性回應，挑戰其武斷獨大與畫地自限而不揚棄理性探索；透過對於東方思想的闡揚，貝森並發展出一套強調眾生一體與自我犧牲的行動哲學，藉以持續參與於問題叢生的世紀末社會之改造工程。貝森的神智學轉向，不但可視為十九世紀末、二十世紀初人們心靈與智識探索的一個縮影，亦是對於英國社會、文化與政治發展的適切回應。

關鍵字

神智學；神智學會；神祕主義；信仰危機；科學自然主義

並列摘要

Annie Besant (1847-1933) was a prominent social reformer who was involved in numerous causes in the late 19th and early 20th centuries including secularism, socialism, trade unionism, theosophy and India self-rule. Her seemingly disjointed activities and especially her conversion to theosophy have often been a subject of controversy among her contemporaries and present difficulties for historians seeking coherence in her life. The article seeks to explain why Besant joined the Theosophical Society in 1889, an occultist group dedicated to the promotion of Eastern thought. Contrary to the conventional view that this move marked a flight from reason and reality, it regards Besant's turning to theosophy as not only a reasoned response to the problems confronted by Christianity, science and reform at the fin de siècle, but also a prime example of the similar spiritual and intellectual quest of many reformers and intellectuals of the time. Theosophy, to Besant, was not only an alternative belief in response to the Victorian crisis of faith, but also offers a set of critiques of modern science that was becoming increasingly dominated by scientific naturalism. Through the mobilization of eastern thought, Besant further advocated an immanentist philosophy, with an emphasis on the ethical duty of self-sacrifice, that helped to sustain her unswerving commitment to practical reform.