托福閱讀中的哲學思想

　　“Sociologists have built on the distinction between expressive and instrumental ties to distinguish between two types of groups: primary and secondary. A primary group involves two or more people who enjoy a direct, intimate, cohesive relationship with one another. Expressive ties predominate in primary groups; we view the people as ends in themselves and valuable in their own right. A secondary group entails two or more people who are involved in an impersonal relationship and have come together for a specific, practical purpose. Instrumental ties predominate in secondary groups; we perceive people as means to ends rather than as ends in their own right. Sometimes primary group relationships evolve out of secondary group relationships.“

　　很多同學，看到上面的“we view the people as ends in themselves”和“we perceive people as means to ends”就徹底暈菜了。這個其實是可以理解的，這兩句話實際是哲學家Kant(康德)關于道德的哲學思想。我們先來看看康德是怎么說的：

　　Humanity

　　According to Kant, there are different ways to state what our duty is. One of them involves the idea of a law. Another involves the idea of humanity, or human reason. Morality says that you should never treat rational human beings merely as means to your end. Whenever you use someone’s skills or services to your own end, you should always also treat that person as an end in him- or herself.

　　翻譯：康德認為，有不同的方式來陳述我們的職責。其中一個是涉及法律。另外一個是涉及人性和人道。道德論認為，你永遠不應該把一個理性的人只是作為你達到你的目的中間手段。當你用其他的服務和技能作為你達到你的目的是，你應該尊重他們作為個體而不是你的手段而已。

　　分析：這里的mean實際上是一個途徑，一個中間過程。如果我們把他人視為達成某種目標的中間途徑,那就不是道德的。end在這里是終點，自身的結果。只有把他人視為end才是尊重別人才是道德的。

　　其實這個道理很簡單。就是我們常說的：不已結婚為目的談戀愛都是耍流氓。你不已結婚為目的，就是把女孩當成means了，所以很不道德。你如果是以結婚為目的話，就是當成ends了。