哲学 - 亚里士多德：英语精读讲义

Aristotle was born around 384 BC in the ancient Greek kingdom of Macedonia,

亚里士多德大约于公元前384年出生在古希腊的马其顿王国，

where his father was the royal doctor.

他的父亲是那里的御医。

He grew up to be arguably the most influential philosopher ever, 用詞

他长大后成为了可以说是有史以来最具影响力的哲学家，

with modest nicknames like "the master" and simply "the philosopher". 表達脈絡

拥有诸如“大师”甚至简称为“哲学家”这样谦逊的称号。

His first big job was tutoring Alexander the Great, 文化背景

他的第一份重要工作是给亚历山大大帝当老师，

who soon after went out and conquered the known world.

后来亚历山大大帝便出征并征服了当时已知的世界。

Aristotle then headed off to Athens, 短語動詞

之后，亚里士多德前往雅典，

worked with Plato for a bit, then branched out on his own. 短語動詞

和柏拉图共事了一段时间，然后自立门户。

He founded a little school called "the Lyceum". 文化背景

他创办了一所名为“吕克昂”的小学校。

French secondary schools, the lycées, are named in honor of this venture.

法国的中学（lycées）就是为了向这一创举致敬而命名的。

He liked to walk about while teaching and discussing ideas. 文化背景

他喜欢在教学和讨论思想时踱步。

His followers were nicknamed "Peripatetics", "the wanderers".

他的追随者因此被戏称为“逍遥学派”，即“漫步者”。

His many books are actually lecture notes.

他的许多著作其实都是讲课笔记。

Aristotle was fascinated by how many things actually work.

亚里士多德对许多事物的实际运作原理十分着迷。

How does a chick grow in an egg?

小鸡在蛋里是如何生长的？

How do squid reproduce?

乌贼是如何繁殖的？

Why does a plant grow well in one place and hardly at all in another?

为什么植物在一个地方长得很好，在另一个地方却几乎不长？

And most importantly,

以及最重要的，

what makes a human life and a whole society go well?

是什么让人类生活和整个社会运转良好？

For Aristotle, philosophy was about practical wisdom. 用詞

对亚里士多德来说，哲学就是关于实践智慧的学问。

Here are four big philosophical questions he answered.

以下是他解答的四个重大哲学问题。

1.

1.

What makes people happy?

是什么让人快乐？

In the Nicomachean Ethics, 文化背景

在《尼各马可伦理学》一书中，

the book got its name because it was edited by his son Nicomachus,

这本书得名于它的编辑者，即他的儿子尼各马可，

Aristotle set himself the task of identifying the factors 短語搭配

亚里士多德给自己定下了一个任务，那就是找出

that lead people to have a good life, or not.

导致人们过上美好生活与否的各种因素。

He suggested that good and successful people all possess distinct virtues

他指出，优秀和成功的人都具备独特的各种美德，

and proposed that we should get better at identifying what these are,

并建议我们应该更好地去识别这些美德，

so that we can nurture them in ourselves and honor them in others.

这样我们就能在自己身上培养它们，并在他人身上尊重它们。

Aristotle zeroed in on 11 virtues: courage, temperance, liberality, magnificence, 短語動詞

亚里士多德重点指出了11种美德：勇敢、节制、慷慨、大度、

magnanimity, pride, patience,

豪迈、自豪、耐心、

truthfulness, wittiness, friendliness, modesty.

诚实、风趣、友善、谦逊。

Aristotle also observed that every virtue

亚里士多德还观察到，每一种美德

seems to be bang in the middle of two vices. 習語

似乎都恰好处于两种恶习的正中间。

It occupies what he termed "the golden mean" between two extremes of character. 文化背景

它占据了他在两种极端性格之间所称的“中庸之道”。

For example, in book 4 of his Ethics,

例如，在他的《伦理学》第4卷中，

under the charming title of "Conversational Virtues, Wit, Buffoonery, and Boorishness",

在“对话美德：机智、滑稽与粗鄙”这个引人入胜的标题下，

Aristotle looks at ways people are better or worse at conversation.

亚里士多德探讨了人们在交谈中表现好坏的方式。

Knowing how to have a good conversation

懂得如何进行一场愉快的交谈，

is one of the key ingredients of the good life Aristotle recognized.

是亚里士多德所认可的美好生活的一个关键要素。

Some people go wrong because they lack a subtle sense of humor.

有些人出了问题，是因为他们缺乏微妙的幽默感。

That's "the boor",

那就是“粗鄙之人”，

someone useless for any kind of social intercourse 用詞

这种人在任何社交场合都毫无用处，

because he contributes nothing and takes offense at everything.

因为他毫无贡献，且对任何事都感到冒犯。

But others carry humor to excess. 短語搭配

但另一些人则把幽默发挥到了极致。

The buffoon cannot resist a joke, sparing neither himself nor anybody else, 語法

滑稽之人无法克制开玩笑的冲动，对自己或任何人都毫不留情，

provided that he can raise a laugh and saying things that a man of taste would never dream of saying. 語法

只要能引人发笑，他会说出有品味的人做梦也想不到的话。

So, the virtuous person is in the golden mean in this area,

所以，在这方面处于中庸之道的有德之人，

witty but tactful.

既风趣又得体。

A particularly fascinating moment is when Aristotle draws up a table

一个特别有趣的时刻是，亚里士多德绘制了一张图表，

of "too little, too much, and just right" around the whole host of virtues.

围绕着众多美德列出了“太少、太多和刚刚好”。

We can't change our behavior in any of these areas just at the drop of a hat, 習語

我们无法在任何这些领域一蹴而就地改变我们的行为，

but change is possible, eventually.

但改变终究是可能的。

Moral goodness, says Aristotle, is the result of habit.

亚里士多德说，道德上的善良是习惯的结果。

It takes time, practice, encouragement.

它需要时间、练习和鼓励。

So, Aristotle thinks people who lack virtue

所以，亚里士多德认为缺乏美德的人

should be understood as unfortunate rather than wicked. 語法

应该被理解为是不幸的，而不是邪恶的。

What they need isn't or being thrown into prison,

他们需要的并不是被关进监狱，

but better teachers and more guidance.

而是更好的老师和更多的指导。

2.

2.

What's art for?

艺术有什么用？

The blockbuster art at the time was tragedy.

那个时代大受欢迎的艺术是悲剧。

Athenians watched gory plays at community festivals in huge open-air theaters.

雅典人在社区节日的巨大露天剧场里观看血腥的戏剧。

Aeschylus, Euripides, and Sophocles were household names. 習語

埃斯库罗斯、欧里庇得斯和索福克勒斯都是家喻户晓的名字。

Aristotle wrote a "how to write great plays" manual, "The Poetics".

亚里士多德写了一本“如何写出伟大戏剧”的手册——《诗学》。

It's packed with great tips.

里面干货满满。

For example, make sure to use peripeteia, a change in fortune, 文化背景

例如，确保使用“突转”（peripeteia），即命运的逆转，

when for the hero things go from great to awful.

这时主人公的境遇会从极好变得极糟。

In Titanic, Leonardo DiCaprio gets Kate Winslet,

在《泰坦尼克号》中，莱昂纳多·迪卡普里奥追到了凯特·温斯莱特，

great, then they hit the iceberg, awful.

极好；然后他们撞上了冰山，极糟。

And anagnorisis, a moment of dramatic revelation, 文化背景

还有“发现”（anagnorisis），这是一个戏剧性的顿悟时刻，

when suddenly the hero works out their life is a catastrophe.

当主人公突然弄明白他们的生活是一场灾难时。

But what is tragedy actually for?

但悲剧究竟有什么用呢？

What's the point of a whole community coming together to watch horrible things happening to lead characters,

整个社区聚集在一起，观看可怕的事情发生在主角身上，意义何在？

like Oedipus in the play by Sophocles, who by accident kills his father,

比如索福克勒斯戏剧中的俄狄浦斯，他意外地杀死了自己的父亲，

gets married to his mother, finds out he's done these things,

娶了自己的母亲，发现自己做下了这些事后，

and gouges out his own eyes in remorse and despair.

在悔恨和绝望中挖出了自己的双眼。

Aristotle's answer is Katharis, which is Greek for catharsis.

亚里士多德的答案是 Katharis，也就是希腊语中的卡塔西斯（宣泄）。

Catharsis is a kind of cleaning, you get rid of bad stuff, 文化背景

宣泄是一种清洗，你摆脱了不好的东西，

in this case cleaning up our emotions,

在这里是清理我们的情绪，

specifically our confusions around the feelings of fear and pity.

特别是我们围绕恐惧和怜悯这两种感受的困惑。

We've got natural problems here, we're hard-hearted,

我们天生就有一些问题，我们铁石心肠，

we don't give pity where it's deserved,

我们不在该给予怜悯的时候给予怜悯，

and we're prone to either exaggerated fears or not getting frightened enough. 短語搭配

我们还容易产生夸大的恐惧，或者不够畏惧。

Tragedy reminds us that terrible things can befall decent people, including ourselves.

悲剧提醒我们，可怕的事情可能降临在体面的人身上，包括我们自己。

A small flaw can lead to a whole life unraveling, 習語

一个小瑕疵可能导致整个生活的崩溃，

and so we should have more compassion or pity for those whose actions go disastrously wrong.

因此我们应该对那些行为导致灾难性后果的人给予更多的同情或怜悯。

We need to be collectively re-taught these crucial truths on a regular basis.

我们需要定期作为一个集体，重新学习这些至关重要的真理。

The task of art, as Aristotle saw it, 表達脈絡

在亚里士多德看来，艺术的任务

is to make profound truths about life stick in our minds. 習語

就是让关于生活的深刻真理铭刻在我们的脑海中。

3.

3.

What are friends for?

朋友有什么用？

In books 8 and 9 of the Nicomachean Ethics,

在《尼各马可伦理学》第8卷和第9卷中，

Aristotle identifies three different kinds of friendship.

亚里士多德指出了三种不同的友谊。

There's friendship that comes about when each person is seeking fun.

第一种友谊发生在每个人都在寻找乐趣时。

Their chief interest is in their own pleasure and the opportunity of the moment,

他们的主要兴趣在于自己的快乐和当下的机会，

which the other person provides.

而这些是对方所能提供的。

Then there are friendships that are really strategic acquaintances. 用詞

还有一种友谊，实际上是策略性的熟人关系。

They take pleasure in each other's company

他们只在彼此的陪伴中寻找乐趣，

only in so far as they have hopes of advantage of it. 語法

前提是他们希望能从中获得好处。

Then there's the true friend.

其次才是真正的朋友。

Not someone who's just like you,

不是那个和你一模一样的人，

but someone who isn't you,

而是那个不是你，

but about whom you care as much as you care about yourself.

但你像关心自己一样关心的人。

The sorrows of a true friend are your sorrows,

真正朋友的悲伤就是你的悲伤，

their joys are yours.

他们的快乐也是你的快乐。

It makes you more vulnerable should anything befall this person, 語法

如果这个人遭遇不测，这会让你变得更加脆弱，

but it's hugely strengthening too.

但这也会给你带来巨大的力量。

You're relieved from the too small orbit of your own thoughts and worries. 習語

你从自己思想和烦恼的狭小轨道中解脱出来。

You expand into the life of another.

你的生活扩展到了另一个人的生活中。

Together,

在一起，

you become larger, cleverer,

你们变得更宽广、更聪明、

more resilient, more fair-minded.

更具韧性、更公正。

You share virtues and cancel out each other's defects. 短語動詞

你们共享美德，互相弥补彼此的缺陷。

Friendship teaches us what we ought to be.

友谊教会了我们应该成为什么样的人。

It's quite literally the best part of life.

这简直是生活中最美好的部分。

4.

4.

How can ideas cut through in a busy world? 短語動詞

思想如何在一个繁忙的世界中脱颖而出？

Like a lot of people,

和许多人一样，

Aristotle was struck by the fact that the best argument doesn't always win the debate or the battle. 短語搭配

亚里士多德惊讶地发现，最好的论点并不总是能赢得辩论或战斗。

He wanted to know why this happens and what we can do about it.

他想知道为什么会发生这种情况，以及我们能对此做些什么。

He had lots of opportunity for observations.

他有许多观察的机会。

In Athens, lots of decisions were made in public meetings,

在雅典，许多决定是在公共集会上做出的，

often in the agora, the town square. 文化背景

通常是在广场（agora），即城镇的中心广场。

Orators would vie with one another to sway popular opinion. 短語搭配

演说家们会互相竞争以左右公众舆论。

Aristotle plotted the ways audiences and individuals are influenced by many factors

亚里士多德描绘了受众和个人受许多因素影响的方式，

that don't strictly engage with logic or the facts of the case.

而这些因素并不严格涉及逻辑或事情的事实。

It's maddening and many serious people,

这让人抓狂，许多严肃的人，

especially Plato, can't stand it.

特别是柏拉图，无法忍受这一点。

They avoid the marketplace and populist debate.

他们避开集市和民粹主义的辩论。

Aristotle was more ambitious.

但亚里士多德更有野心。

He invented the art of what we still today call rhetoric, 文化背景

他发明了我们今天仍称为修辞学的艺术，

the art of getting people to agree with you.

即让人同意你的艺术。

He wanted thoughtful, serious, and well-intentioned people

他希望有思想、严肃且意图良好的人

to learn how to be persuasive,

学习如何具有说服力，

to reach those who don't agree already.

去触及那些尚不同意的人。

He makes some timeless points.

他提出了一些永恒的观点。

You have to recognize, acknowledge, and soothe people's fears. 短語搭配

你必须认识、承认并安抚人们的恐惧。

You have to see the emotional side of the issue.

你必须看到问题的感性一面。

Is someone's pride on the line? 習語

有人的自尊心受到威胁了吗？

Are they feeling embarrassed?

他们感到尴尬了吗？

And edge around it accordingly.

并相应地顾及这些情绪。

You have to make it funny

你必须让它变得有趣，

because attention spans are short

因为人们的注意力很短，

and you might have to use illustrations and examples to make your point come alive. 習語

你可能必须使用插图和例子，让你的观点鲜活起来。

We're keen students of Aristotle.

我们都是亚里士多德的忠实学生。

Today, philosophy doesn't sound like the most practical activity.

今天，哲学听起来并不像是最实用的活动。

Maybe that's because we've not paid enough attention recently to Aristotle.

也许那是因为我们最近对亚里士多德的关注不够。