论社会进步及其评价尺度

培根、笛卡尔从人类认识和控制世界能力的提高入手为社会进步作了初步论证,崇尚理性、相信教育和启蒙的作用,并以此作为历史不断进步的保证则是法国启蒙学派的历史进步观.但韦伯、兰克和布克哈特等人不仅对历史的进步表示怀疑,甚至根本不同意把进步观念引入历史研究中.马克思是从历史发展的前进性与曲折性的统一中来理解社会进步的.就历史发展总的趋势来看,历史尺度和价值尺度是一致的;就历史发展的特定阶段、特定时期来说,两种尺度又存在着某种不一致.两种尺度的社会进步最终可以在实践中,而且只有通过实践达到协调和统一.

Social Development and Relevant Evaluation Criteria

Development of the concept of social progress has undergone a process of changes. Bacon and Discare argue for a concept based on human ability in recognition and controlling the world. The German school or enlightenment, on the other hand, holds the idea of advocating reasoning, believing in the function of education and enlightenment, and regarding all this as a means to ensure continuous progress in history. But Weber,Ranke and Buckhoot not only doubted the concept of historical progress, but objected to introducing the concept of progress into the study of history. The concept of progress in Marxism is a dialectic one. Marx interpreted social progress in the light of historical progress and its complexity. According to Marx, the criterion of history and criterion of values are similar in the long run but diverge at specific periods of time. They may ultimately become integrated in social practice, and it is in social practice alone that they can become integrated.