以激情解釋民族特性，以效益創造道德對話：休謨政治思想的一個側面

Explaining National Characters by Passions, Creating Moral Dialogue by Utility: An Aspect of Hume's Political Thought

休謨的政治哲學之影響，是在啟蒙時代的世俗化趨勢中，為人類的政治與道德生活建立以激情與人性為主的基礎。在這個倫理自然主義的哲學方案中，休謨雖以視理性從屬於激情而著稱，但他在《人性論》第二卷中對人類激情的深入剖析，長久以來卻較為研究者所忽視。本文的目的，是希望指出休謨的激情理論對其政治哲學之貢獻。在這個休謨思想的側面中，我們看到他將社會秩序的根基，建立在人類本性中對他人意見的在乎。此一本性不僅足以在群體中形成秩序，還將逐漸形塑出每一個民族獨有的道德特徵與價值體系。面對各民族在文化與價值上的殊異，休謨認為，從人類歷史與經驗中所歸納出的效益原則，足以作為調和價值衝突、進以開展道德審議的立基點。 A significant influence of Hume's political philosophy lies in his developing a foundation based on passions and human nature for men's political and moral spheres, in the trend of secularization that characterized the Age of Enlightenment. In this philosophical project known as ethical naturalism, although Hume is famous for treating reason as subordinate to the passions, his elaboration of the passions as found in the second book of the Treatise has long been undervalued by Hume scholars. The purpose of this article is to contest this account of Hume by revealing the contribution of Hume's theory of the passions to his political philosophy. In this dimension of Hume's thought, we find that he establishes the social order based on man's care regarding the opinions of others. More than securing the social order, the force of opinion still shapes the moral character and the value systems of each nation. However, when faced with the differences between each nation's culture and values, Hume indicates that the principle of utility, which he derives inductively from human history and experience, may well be used to reconcile conflicting values, and to secure a basis for moral deliberation.