哲學 - 亞里斯多德：英語精讀講義

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

亞里斯多德大約於公元前384年出生在古希臘的馬其頓王國，

where his father was the royal doctor.

他的父親是那裡的御醫。

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

他長大後成為了可以說是有史以來最具影響力的哲學家，

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

擁有諸如「大師」甚至簡稱為「哲學家」這樣謙遜的稱號。

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

他的第一份重要工作是給亞歷山大大帝當老師，

who soon after went out and conquered the known world.

後來亞歷山大大帝便出征並征服了當時已知的世界。

Aristotle then headed off to Athens, 片語動詞

之後，亞里斯多德前往雅典，

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

和柏拉圖共事了一段時間，然後自立門戶。

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

他創辦了一所名為「呂克昂」的小學校。

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

法國的中學（lycées）就是為了向這一創舉致敬而命名的。

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

他喜歡在教學和討論思想時走來走去。

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

他的追隨者因此被戲稱為「逍遙學派」，即「漫步者」。

His many books are actually lecture notes.

他的許多著作其實都是講課筆記。

Aristotle was fascinated by how many things actually work.

亞里斯多德對許多事物的實際運作原理十分著迷。

How does a chick grow in an egg?

小雞在蛋裡是如何生長的？

How do squid reproduce?

烏賊是如何繁殖的？

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

為什麼植物在一個地方長得很好，在另一個地方卻幾乎不長？

And most importantly,

以及最重要的，

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

是什麼讓人類生活和整個社會運轉良好？

For Aristotle, philosophy was about practical wisdom. 用詞

對亞里斯多德來說，哲學就是關於實踐智慧的學問。

Here are four big philosophical questions he answered.

以下是他解答的四個重大哲學問題。

1.

1.

What makes people happy?

是什麼讓人快樂？

In the Nicomachean Ethics, 文化背景

在《尼各馬可倫理學》一書中，

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

這本書得名於它的編輯者，即他的兒子尼各馬可，

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

亞里斯多德給自己定下了一個任務，那就是找出

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

導致人們過上美好生活與否的各種因素。

He suggested that good and successful people all possess distinct virtues

他指出，優秀和成功的人都具備獨特的各種美德，

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

並建議我們應該更好地去識別這些美德，

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

這樣我們就能在自己身上培養它們，並在他人身上尊重它們。

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

亞里斯多德重點指出了11種美德：勇敢、節制、慷慨、大度、

magnanimity, pride, patience,

豪邁、自豪、耐心、

truthfulness, wittiness, friendliness, modesty.

誠實、風趣、友善、謙遜。

Aristotle also observed that every virtue

亞里斯多德還觀察到，每一種美德

seems to be bang in the middle of two vices. 慣用語

似乎都恰好處於兩種惡習的正中間。

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

它佔據了他在兩種極端性格之間所稱的「中庸之道」。

For example, in book 4 of his Ethics,

例如，在他的《倫理學》第4卷中，

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

在「對話美德：機智、滑稽與粗鄙」這個引人入勝的標題下，

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

亞里斯多德探討了人們在交談中表現好壞的方式。

Knowing how to have a good conversation

懂得如何進行一場愉快的交談，

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

是亞里斯多德所認可的美好生活的一個關鍵要素。

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

有些人出了問題，是因為他們缺乏微妙的幽默感。

That's "the boor",

那就是「粗鄙之人」，

someone useless for any kind of social intercourse 用詞

這種人在任何社交場合都毫無用處，

because he contributes nothing and takes offense at everything.

因為他毫無貢獻，且對任何事都感到冒犯。

But others carry humor to excess. 片語搭配

但另一些人則把幽默發揮到了極致。

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

滑稽之人無法克制開玩笑的衝動，對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. 文法

只要能引人發笑，他會說出有品味的人做夢也想不到的話。

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

所以，在這方面處於中庸之道的有德之人，

witty but tactful.

既風趣又得體。

A particularly fascinating moment is when Aristotle draws up a table

一個特別有趣的時刻是，亞里斯多德繪製了一張圖表，

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

圍繞著眾多美德列出了「太少、太多和剛剛好」。

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

我們無法在任何這些領域一蹴而就地改變我們的行為，

but change is possible, eventually.

但改變終究是可能的。

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

亞里斯多德說，道德上的善良是習慣的結果。

It takes time, practice, encouragement.

它需要時間、練習和鼓勵。

So, Aristotle thinks people who lack virtue

所以，亞里斯多德認為缺乏美德的人

should be understood as unfortunate rather than wicked. 文法

應該被理解為是不幸的，而不是邪惡的。

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

他們需要的並不是被關進監獄，

but better teachers and more guidance.

而是更好的老師和更多的指導。

2.

2.

What's art for?

藝術有什麼用？

The blockbuster art at the time was tragedy.

那個時代大受歡迎的藝術是悲劇。

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

雅典人在社區節日的巨大露天劇場裡觀看血腥的戲劇。

Aeschylus, Euripides, and Sophocles were household names. 慣用語

埃斯庫羅斯、歐里庇得斯和索福克勒斯都是家喻戶曉的名字。

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

亞里斯多德寫了一本「如何寫出偉大戲劇」的手冊——《詩學》。

It's packed with great tips.

裡面充滿了實用的建議。

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

例如，確保使用「突轉」（peripeteia），即命運的逆轉，

when for the hero things go from great to awful.

這時主人公的境遇會從極好變得極糟。

In Titanic, Leonardo DiCaprio gets Kate Winslet,

在《鐵達尼號》中，李奧納多·狄卡皮歐追到了凱特·溫斯蕾，

great, then they hit the iceberg, awful.

極好；然後他們撞上了冰山，極糟。

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

還有「發現」（anagnorisis），這是一個戲劇性的頓悟時刻，

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

當主人公突然弄明白他們的生活是一場災難時。

But what is tragedy actually for?

但悲劇究竟有什麼用呢？

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

整個社區聚集在一起，觀看可怕的事情發生在主角身上，意義何在？

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

比如索福克勒斯戲劇中的伊底帕斯，他意外地殺死了自己的父親，

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

娶了自己的母親，發現自己做下了這些事後，

and gouges out his own eyes in remorse and despair.

在悔恨和絕望中挖出了自己的雙眼。

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

亞里斯多德的答案是 Katharis，也就是希臘語中的卡塔西斯（宣洩）。

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

宣洩是一種清洗，你擺脫了不好的東西，

in this case cleaning up our emotions,

在這裡是清理我們的情緒，

specifically our confusions around the feelings of fear and pity.

特別是我們圍繞恐懼和憐憫這兩種感受的困惑。

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

我們天生就有一些問題，我們鐵石心腸，

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

我們不在該給予憐憫的時候給予憐憫，

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

我們還容易產生誇大的恐懼，或者不夠畏懼。

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

悲劇提醒我們，可怕的事情可能降臨在體面的人身上，包括我們自己。

A small flaw can lead to a whole life unraveling, 慣用語

一個小瑕疵可能導致整個生活的崩潰，

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

因此我們應該對那些行為導致災難性後果的人給予更多的同情或憐憫。

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

我們需要定期作為一個集體，重新學習這些至關重要的真理。

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

在亞里斯多德看來，藝術的任務

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

就是讓關於生活的深刻真理銘刻在我們的腦海中。

3.

3.

What are friends for?

朋友有什麼用？

In books 8 and 9 of the Nicomachean Ethics,

在《尼各馬可倫理學》第8卷和第9卷中，

Aristotle identifies three different kinds of friendship.

亞里斯多德指出了三種不同的友誼。

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

第一種友誼發生在每個人都在尋找樂趣時。

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

他們的主要興趣在於自己的快樂和當下的機會，

which the other person provides.

而這些是對方所能提供的。

Then there are friendships that are really strategic acquaintances. 用詞

還有一種友誼，實際上是策略性的熟人關係。

They take pleasure in each other's company

他們只在彼此的陪伴中尋找樂趣，

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

前提是他們希望能從中獲得好處。

Then there's the true friend.

其次才是真正的朋友。

Not someone who's just like you,

不是那個和你一模一樣的人，

but someone who isn't you,

而是那個不是你，

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

但你像關心自己一樣關心的人。

The sorrows of a true friend are your sorrows,

真正朋友的悲傷就是你的悲傷，

their joys are yours.

他們的快樂也是你的快樂。

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

如果這個人遭遇不測，這會讓你變得更加脆弱，

but it's hugely strengthening too.

但這也會給你帶來巨大的力量。

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

你從自己思想和煩惱的狹小軌道中解脫出來。

You expand into the life of another.

你的生活擴展到了另一個人的生活中。

Together,

在一起，

you become larger, cleverer,

你們變得更寬廣、更聰明、

more resilient, more fair-minded.

更具韌性、更公正。

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

你們共享美德，互相彌補彼此的缺陷。

Friendship teaches us what we ought to be.

友誼教會了我們應該成為什麼樣的人。

It's quite literally the best part of life.

這簡直是生活中最美好的部分。

4.

4.

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

思想如何在一個繁忙的世界中脫穎而出？

Like a lot of people,

和許多人一樣，

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

亞里斯多德驚訝地發現，最好的論點並不總是能贏得辯論或戰鬥。

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

他想知道為什麼會發生這種情況，以及我們能對此做些什麼。

He had lots of opportunity for observations.

他有許多觀察的機會。

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

在雅典，許多決定是在公共集會上做出的，

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

通常是在廣場（agora），即城鎮的中心廣場。

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

演說家們會互相競爭以左右公眾輿論。

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

亞里斯多德描繪了受眾和個人受許多因素影響的方式，

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

而這些因素並不嚴格涉及邏輯或事情的事實。

It's maddening and many serious people,

這讓人抓狂，許多嚴肅的人，

especially Plato, can't stand it.

特別是柏拉圖，無法忍受這一點。

They avoid the marketplace and populist debate.

他們避開市集和民粹主義的辯論。

Aristotle was more ambitious.

但亞里斯多德更有野心。

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

他發明了我們今天仍稱為修辭學的藝術，

the art of getting people to agree with you.

即讓人同意你的藝術。

He wanted thoughtful, serious, and well-intentioned people

他希望有思想、嚴肅且意圖良好的人

to learn how to be persuasive,

學習如何具有說服力，

to reach those who don't agree already.

去觸及那些尚不同意的人。

He makes some timeless points.

他提出了一些永恆的觀點。

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

你必須認識、承認並安撫人們的恐懼。

You have to see the emotional side of the issue.

你必須看到問題的感性一面。

Is someone's pride on the line? 慣用語

有人的自尊心受到威脅了嗎？

Are they feeling embarrassed?

他們感到尷尬了嗎？

And edge around it accordingly.

並相應地顧及這些情緒。

You have to make it funny

你必須讓它變得有趣，

because attention spans are short

因為人們的注意力很短，

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

你可能必須使用插圖和例子，讓你的觀點鮮活起來。

We're keen students of Aristotle.

我們都是亞里斯多德的忠實學生。

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

今天，哲學聽起來並不像是最實用的活動。

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

也許那是因為我們最近對亞里斯多德的關注不夠。