評論
打印
The oldest philosophical problem, we have noted, is the relationship between the one and the many. Surely the basic conflict of our times is precisely the conflict between those who would reduce the world to one and those who see the world as many-between those who believe that the world is evolving in a single direction, along a single predestined line, toward a single predestined conclusion, and those who think that humanity in the future, as in the pask will continue to evolve in diverse directions, toward diverse conclusions according to the diverse traditions, values, and purposes of diverse peoples. It is a choice, in short, between dogmatism and pragmatism, between the theological society and the experimental society.
我們曾經提到過，最古老的問題是“一”與“多”關系的問題。我們可以確定無疑地說，我們這個時代的根本矛盾恰恰是那些想要把世界簡化成“一”的人與那些認為世界是“多”的人之間的沖突——那些相信世界會朝著一個方向進化、經過單一預先設定好的路線、奔著單一預設的結局的人與那些相信人類的未來就像過去一樣，根據多元化的傳統、價值、目標繼續朝著多個方向、奔著多種結局的人之間的沖突。簡而言之，它是教條主義和實用主義、理論社會和經驗社會之間的選擇。
Ideologists are afraid of the free flow of ideas, even of deviant ideas within their own ideology. They are convinced they have a monopoly on the Truth. Therefore they always feel that they are only saving the world when they slaughter the heretics. Their objective remains that of making the world over in the image of their dogmatic ideology. The goal is monolithic world, organized on the principle of infallibility—but the only certainty in an absolute system is the certainty of absolute abuse.
意識形態主義者害怕思想的自由流動，甚至害怕在自己思想體系內偏離主流思想。他們確信他們獨占真理，因此他們總是覺得屠殺異端者是在拯救世界。他們的追求依然是根據他們的意識形態體系改造世界。他們的目標是按照確定可靠的理論，建造一個鐵板一塊的世界絕對的權力必然導致權利的濫用。
The goal of free men is quite different. Free men know many truths, but they doubt whether any mortal man knows the Truth. Their religious and their intellectual heritage join in leading them to suspect fellow men who lay claim to infallibility. They believe that there is no greater delusion than for man to mistake himself for God. They accept the limitations of the human intellect and the infirmity of the human spirit. The distinctive human triumph, in their judgement, lies in the capacity to understand the frailty of human striving but to strive nonetheless.
自由人的目標與此大相徑庭。自由人掌握許多具體的真理，但他們認為沒有一個凡人能夠掌握絕對真理。他們宗教和理性的傳統致使他們懷疑那些聲稱永無謬誤的人。他們認為對于一個人來說，沒有比把自己當成神更荒唐的了。他們承認人的智力是有限的，人的心靈是脆弱的，人類在判斷力上是各具特色的。他們懂得人類奮斗是存在缺憾的，但仍然奮斗不息。
