史坦因作品中的科學主義與迷信策略

Science and Superstition in Gertrude Stein’s Works

本論文探討美國現代主義作家史坦因於二次世界大戰（1938-1945）期間寫作的一系列作品，希望在近期一些研究企圖證明她的書寫與科學之關聯後，正視並企圖解釋她晚期作品中的迷信主題。為了連結她早期的科學學院訓練與晚期的迷信思維，我們首先回顧同時代歐陸科學家，尤其是史坦因大學心理學教授詹姆斯對於靈學研究的興趣。接著論證她對迷信思維的探討或許弔詭地源自她對於認知科學的興趣。其後轉由詹姆斯實用主義哲學切入，繼續考察迷信與科學之間的關係，著重於詹姆斯在調解科學與宗教的相關看法。最後，借用維斯等心理學家的研究，指出看似非理性的迷信信仰與儀式實際上發揮許多符合理性原則的正面功效，諸如降低死亡憂慮，壓縮痛苦的心理時間，創造控制的幻覺，以及藉由產生心理滿足感獲致大於實際「價值」的頂期「效益」。在深入探討迷信思維背後的實用邏輯後，我們認為史坦因在戰爭書寫中運用某種「迷信策略」， 提出一種類似實用主義式真理觀的另類實在觀，企圖復興迷信思維這長久以來被理性／科學貶抑的另類知識論。如此一來，史坦因晚期的迷信書寫並不與她早期的科學訓練與興趣矛盾對立，反而存在更深一層的呼應，並且與當代的靈學研究，認真科學，與實用主義哲學產生了對話。

Focusing on Gertrude Stein's works written during the Second World War (1938-1945), this article dwells on their allusions to superstitious belief and practice, following the recent attempts (Meyer, Chodat) to establish correlation between Stein's writing and science. To link Stein's scientific training at college to the superstitious theme in the WW II years' we first review the fascination of the late 19th-century scientists, especially the psychical research of William James who was Stein's psychology professor at Radcliffe. Then, we argue Stein's exploration of the superstitious thinking might stem paradoxically from her interest in modern cognition science. Our third consideration is to refer to James's Pragmatism to further our effort of striking a compromise between science and religion/superstition, just as James has ventured early on. Finally, with relevant findings in recent psychological researches, we demonstrate the rational operation of the seemingly irrational superstitious beliefs and rituals, which function to reduce emotional disorder caused by death concerns, to shorten psychologically the time of suffering, to create the positive illusion of control, and to increase expected 'utility,' if not 'value,' by bringing about psychological satisfaction. After revealing the pragmatic mechanism that works behind the superstitious thinking, we believe that Stein has adopted a certain 'strategy of superstition' to revive an alternative epistemology long repressed by rationalism and science and, to propose a vision of reality similar to James's conception of Pragmatic Truth. As a result, Stein's writings on superstition are not necessarily opposed to her scientific training in early years, but rather form a subtle dialogue with it and with the contemporary psychical research, cognitive science and the philosophy of Pragmatism.