Social Betterment in the Realm of Practical Ethics in Taiwanese Society-In Search of a Missing Link

台灣本地行事邏輯的探討：尋找尚未接上的環節

余德慧(Der-Heuy Yee)

《慈濟大學人文社會科學學刊》 7期 (2008/06) Pp. 25-63

https://doi.org/10.29650/TCUJHSS.200806.0002

摘要

社會德行的行塑不僅涉及是被社會建制的教化，也涉及日常生活行事的實踐倫理，其關鍵載於常民文化透過日用常行的人間交際，往往會出現「菜根譚」式的行事倫理論述，試圖建立社會道德的效用。本研究立基於「菜根譚」之類的實踐倫理論述，闡釋其能取代大傳統教化論述的緣由，並詢問我們是否能夠在傳統的行事倫理論述裡，獲得一些線絮，從而追索到現代社會的行事倫理?本文以一個台灣東岸鄉村的田野觀察，考察鄉民社會的行事倫理的實惰，分析傳統行事倫理的社會條件，以及其在社會目的論的性質:在鄉民社會的角力場具有德行的效用，而且對一般鄉民來說，也都具有主觀的說服力。現代台灣已經轉型為民主多元社會，文化型態由傳統的統攝一體轉變為多元分化的在地倫理，並加重個人行事之間的處境道德的理解與判斷，為了回應現代社會分化的角力場，傳統行事倫理必須修正轉型，主要的作法是要將其統攝性的「道義論」放到第一序(first order)的理解，轉而重建行事倫理的程序合理性作為德行論第二序理解，主張倫理的溝通行動（請理析辨）在分化的機構場域進行草擬性的道義論建構，並賦予社會角力場的特殊考量，同時，文教政策應朝整個社會道德的大方向著眼，不斷積澱擴本體序(ontologicalorder) 的道義社會， 使道德的普世德行層次不斷被發揚光大，但不阻礙分化的社會角力場各自的特殊性， 卻又能成為分化角力場的共識主體。本研究分析「萬國道德會」的王鳳儀與「慈濟功德會」的證嚴上人，提出道德社群形成的幾個重要環節，認為本體序的天地神人都必須互相交織，並能提供與俗世接引的「道」引領大眾神入，建立社會場域的志業體，供大眾實踐，庶幾有成。

關鍵字

實踐邏輯 ； 社會倫理 ； 民間社會 ； 第二序理解

並列摘要

This study examines the humanistic qualities of people in Taiwan. In particular, the role of practical ethics is discussed in terms of both how such an ethics is exercised in everyday life by individuals as well as the possibility it affords in creating a moral community at the collective level. Elucidating the link between these two realms constitutes the overall purpose of the study.
Beginning with an historical overview of the inception and development of Taiwanese culture itself, the focus is then directed toward fieldwork conducted by the author in one of the regional villages during a local election. Here, practical ethics are discussed in terms of the way in which they produce cultural materialism and mediate interpersonal relationships. Practical ethics are seen to entrench a certain kind of relativism since they do not constitute a static formulation, but rather one that changes with each given circumstance.
To address this problem of relativism, the teachings of three traditional Chinese texts are referred to for their contributions to both the understanding and practice of ethics, as well as Habermas's notion of second-order thinking or communicative ethics. The hope is that the practical ethics currently in use can be upgraded in such a way that a sincere collective body becomes possible.
Two Chinese organizations and their leaders are then studied for their contributions to both the understanding and practice of ethics. Drawing on their work, it is concluded that a practical ethics that enhances the humanistic qualities of Taiwan’s people is one that not only incorporates second-order thinking, it ultimately constitutes an ontological order in which the four spatial dimensions of heaven, earth, deity and humans participate equally. That is, such an ethics has to emerge from the confines of the common world in order to produce a moral spiritual being that is capable of touching and uniting the feelings of people.

並列關鍵字

practical ethics ； social betterment ； second-order moral reasoning ； folk society

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