Day136|苏格拉底:道德准则独立于宗教信仰,才能发挥黏合剂的
上句见:Day135
The Story of Philosophy的第136句:第1章Plato第2节II. Socrates第8段第5句:
It was his reply to these questions that gave Socrates death and immortality. The older citizens would have honored him had he tried to restore the ancient polytheistic faith; if he had led his band of emancipated souls to the temples and the sacred groves, and bade them sacrifice again to the gods of their fathers. But he felt that that was a hopeless and suicidal policy, a progress backward, into and not “over the tombs.” He had his own religious faith: he believed in one God, and hoped in his modest way that death would not quite destroy him; but he knew that a lasting moral code could not be based upon so uncertain a theology. If one could build a system of morality absolutely independent of religious doctrine, as valid for the atheist as for the pietist, then theologies might come and go without loosening the moral cement that makes of wilful individuals the peaceful citizens of a community.
浙江大学译本:假若我们能够建立一套完全独立于宗教教条之外的道德体系,使其对无神论者和虔诚信徒普遍适用,那么,各种神学观点的交融和变迁将不再影响道德的凝聚力。而正是依靠这种凝聚力,任性的人们才能转变为和谐友好的社会公民。
解析
这句话讲了如何把任性的个体转变社会公民,即把一盘散沙聚拢起来。
1、If one could build a system of morality absolutely independent of religious doctrine,
道德独立:如果建立一套完全独立于宗教教条的道德体系
2、** as valid for the atheist as for the pietist,**
普适性:这套道德体系适用于无神论者或有虔诚者
atheist:a person who believes that God doesn’t exist无神论者
Non-religious people in atheists make up the next largest bloc at a massive 33 percent of the population.无神论者中的非宗教人士为第二大群体,占人口的 33%。
pietist:a person devoted to strict religious practice, esp. as opp. to intellectual belief. 虔诚派
The pietist, the priest of either sex, is a fraud because he is sick: his instinct demands that the truth shall never be allowed its rights on any point. 虔诚者,无论男女,都是骗子,因为他生病了:他的本能要求永远不要让真理在任何一点上拥有它的权利。《上帝之死》
3、then theologies might come and go
结果:无关宗教。各种宗教或兴起或衰落。
come and go:— used to talk about people who appear and then leave as time passes
She has seen many a spring pig come and go.它看到许多春猪来了又走了。《夏洛的网》
4、without loosening the moral cement
结果具体化:宗教的改变不会松动道德黏合剂作用。
cement:a substance that is used to make things stick together黏合剂
Tradition is the cement that holds this community together. 传统是让这个社区团结的力量。
5、that makes of wilful individuals the peaceful citizens of a community.
道德作用:让任性的个体变成社区里爱好和平的市民。
wilful:refusing to change your ideas or opinions or to stop doing something固执的,任性的
This wilful world hath not got hold of unchristian Solomon's wisdom yet.
这个任性的世界迄今还没有掌握非基督徒的所罗门的智慧。《白鲸鱼》
如果建立一套完全独立于宗教教条的道德体系,无论对无神论者或虔诚者都有效的道德体系,它的凝聚力不会随着各个宗教信仰而有所变化,这种凝聚力可以将任性的个体变成一个社区里的爱好和平的公民。
整篇
这段讲两个问题给他带来了死亡及永恒。其实他可以选择多神来获得年长的公民的尊重,但他没有这么做。他指出那样做的后果以及原因,并指出怎样才能培养爱好和平的公民。

正是由于对这些问题作出了回答,才导致了苏格拉底身亡,也成就了他的不朽之名。假如他试图恢复古老的多神信仰,假如他带领他那群被解放的灵魂前往庙宇圣林,并要求他们再次向他们祖先的神祇献祭,那么年长的公民就会尊敬他。他认为那种作法无异于毫无希望的自取灭亡,是一种进程性的倒退,带入坟墓,而“越过坟墓”。他有自己的宗教信仰:他相信一个神,并以他那谦逊的态度希望死亡不能将其摧毁;但是他知道一个持久的道德律令不能基于模糊不定的宗教信仰。如果建立一套完全独立于宗教教条的道德体系,无论对无神论者或虔诚者都有效的道德体系,它的凝聚力不会随着各个宗教信仰而有所变化,这种凝聚力可以将任性的个体变成一个社区里的爱好和平的公民。