前言: 在追求學問的這幾十年 期間 (中學畢業後，沒有停過學習，我怕也有三十年了)，特別是對於各種學術學科範疇裡的理論與哲學，也有一些涉獵，當然也不免有一些個人體會與心得，能與學生分享。有感於現在的一般學生，沒有好好仔細分劃這兩個屬不同的研究範圍，所以，每每在討論問題時，難免將這兩種研究混為一談，產生了不少溝通上的問題。

註: 以下討論全是我個人對人為哲學和理論的定義的看法，不同於現在一般在學術界流行的介定與意思。

何謂哲學 (Philosophy)? 其實，所有 英文有 xxx—phy 尾的 字，都是指一種 study (研究)。例如，Geography，是指地理學 (研究)。 當然，合理的說，有任何研究學習的活動，就必定是人為的。所以，我們很喜歡說這是人為哲學。人為哲學當然不是從天上的上帝來的，不是從聖經真理來的。但是 Philosophy ，是特別指 study 所有有關人的生命，生活和本質，與及這個世界和宇宙的意義。因為英文的字，如果前頭的字根帶有 Phil—xxx 的話，就是 “愛好，喜愛”  (love) 的意思。Oxford Advance Learner Dictionary 7th edition 就簡單地解釋哲學為: The study of the nature and meaning of the universe and of human life。當然，古希臘字詞有關 Philosophy 這個字詞的意思，就是 Love of Wisdom，愛好智慧。不過，在古希臘時代，人們最感與趣的，最愛好的是辯証人神及其本質的問題，亦即宗教問題。這 wisdom，當然不是指一般事物，實乃人生宗教等意義的智慧。這和 Oxford Dictionary 所提及的定義沒有很大的衝突。

人為哲學既是研究宇宙和人類生命本質的意義，我就沒有甚麼興趣轉研下去了。因為要明白人和世界，我認為我們身為人類本身，並沒有資格去推敲論斷，因為我們都是受造物。當然，我們還是可以 study 人類的，但不是從受造的人類研究所得的哲學結論去明白人類本身，因為這結論一定不會準確。比如說，你會從用家那方面去了解 window 7 的程式嗎? 還是向 window 7 程式編寫小組去探討問題? 我說的這比喻背後所呈示的 理論  (underlying theory) 十分簡單清楚。就是一個 problem – source 原理。我們要解決一個問題 (problem)，不是從其他方面，而是必定從問題的來源 (source) 處尋得解決方法。就好像房屋有問題，你要了解這房子的結構，就應該去尋找建築的工程師，找尋樓宇圖則，你問房客，又怎會知道正確答案呢?  雖然你可以不理會來源 (source) 所提供的答案去解決問題，可是，你發現你得到的結果，就是 1. 問題未能解決，2. 問題暫時解決了，但很快又重現，3. 舊問題去了，但同時是帶來了另一個新問題，亦即我們常說的以難題取代難題。生活上常常應用的 Problem — Source Theory 是很簡單的理論，人人都懂。只是將這理論應用在信仰上，人們就因他們不想接受一位比他更高的上帝而拒絕了。理論，其實可以是這樣簡單的。只是一種引導人觀察和思巧世上事物的律則指引。例如， Deconstruction (解構) 可以是一種文學理論，拿來思巧文學作品的其中一種指引律則和方法，它有哲理性，但不是哲學研究。可是，假如一些理論是從人為哲學衍生出來的，為的是解釋人為哲學研究，服務人為哲學的。那麼，對不起，我也沒甚麼興趣去了解了。理論，在我看來，只是幫助我們了解世上的事物 “thing”，不是人生的意義。雖然我不能否認，在一般學術範疇裏是有哲學理論的存在 (專門用來研哲學的理論)。

所以，對於探求人類的本質，生命的意義，宇宙世界的認知的哲學，為何不從人類，宇宙世界的來源處尋求答案? 十分簡單，從造物主耶和華上帝就可以。這就說明，為甚麼我有時會對遇到的人這樣說，我很想和你談談人生的哲學，但不是人為的哲學，這哲學是從上天來的。我就是這樣的一個人了。

至於何謂理論 (theory)，這裡我不再詳論了。請參閱我上一篇在 2011-01-06 以英文發表的文章 Theory We Live By。

由此可見，理論和哲學是有互相關連。可是我們還是可以將兩種學問，分屬放在兩個不同範疇的學科作研究。我們也不難發現，在研究上，和學科的細分類上，也有純學科的研究和相關的理論研究。就如我們有研究音樂學的，也有專研建立各種理論，用於研究音樂作品之上的這兩個獨立學科。

今天很多人 generalize (普遍化) Philosophy 這個特別的字詞 ，把它的意思擴大了，普遍化了，還把它用在很廣闊的學術研究，甚至文化生活的層面上。這種  generalization很普遍，就像政府最近常常在發表的報告上用 “解構” (Deconstruction) 這個字詞。例如，我們聽見政府發言人說甚麼解構某某議員的論點等。其實，從上文下理看，政府想用的字詞只是 “解釋” (explain)。
至於 這個 generalized 了的 “哲學”，今天隨處可見。例如，我們常看見學者用這類字眼 — 研究語言的哲學，音樂的哲學，詩詞的哲學，建築的哲學等。就連現今在大學裡的哲學學科研究，亦擴大至研究各類事物的本質和其存在意義，不再局限於只研究人類本質和宇宙存在等問題。至於在文化生活上，我們就見過，別人說甚麼 “烹調哲學，Keep Fit 哲學” 等。這個所謂哲學，也有類似意思。所以，我們以後不用擔心這些字詞了。它的意思只是探討 XX 的本質，存在和其變化現象。不過，話得說回頭，我仍是希望將人為哲學研究，囿限於人與神，其本質和存在意義的範圍以內，就像古希臘的哲學研究嶺域一樣。學術裏的哲學就是哲學，只是一個探求人生宇宙意義的哲學學科。

記得有一次，聽老師說了一個有關人為哲學的故事。我就更看出人為哲學的不可靠。

這是有關彿教六祖慧能怎樣能成為第六代禪宗的傳說。

話說，五祖知道自己就要死了，想傳位給下一任禪宗。他心儀的兩個人選是初入門的慧能和追隨了自己很長時間的大弟子。為了選擇其中一人，五祖就叫他們各作一首禪詩，看看他們對彿的悟性和修為哪個更高。

坦白說，對禪的參悟，就肯定是人為哲學，是探討人生意義的一個研究。何為禪的修為? 就是彿教常強調的 “大徹大悟”，就是要人視萬事皆空，不要執著。 而了解人生意義，假如是應用了這個所謂 “頓悟” 或 “大悟” 的禪學理論，那麼，人又怎可以說是真正明白何為人生意義呢!

原因請看下文。

這是他們充滿笑話的詩。

大弟子的考試詩:

身是萻提樹
心如明鏡臺
時時勤拂事
無處惹塵埃

六祖慧能的詩:

萻提本無樹
明鏡亦非臺
本來無一物
何處惹塵埃

不須多說，五祖就很喜歡慧能的 “空” 的修為。傳位給他，因為他不執著，又無明鏡，又無塵埃，連一物也沒有。

可是，我打趣的說，如果我有份寫詩，五祖就一定傳位給我。

我即時回贈一詩:

萻提興明鏡
非鏡也非臺
根本無事物
何物叫塵埃

請評賞。我豈不是連明鏡和塵埃也不知是甚麼? 又怎會有任何沾染呢? 我豈不是更 “空”? 試問五祖不傳位給我這個如白痴一樣 “空” 的人，該傳給誰?

人為哲學，你根本連一秒鐘也不值得花。

David Leung (theorydavid)

2011-01-08 (published)

Foreward:

Today’s topic is theory.  My friends discussed the topic about theory today. I haven’t said anything. It seems that everyone has his/her own understanding of the term ‘theory’. So the discussion among friends seems becoming more and more complicated.  However, for my students, colleagues, and friends, I believe that it is time to speak of theory, since theory permeates everywhere in our daily lives.

Theory is not that difficult as one think. In our daily lives, we are faced with different forms of theory in different levels that surround us. Indeed theory can affect us much, even though one hasn’t sensed its existence. For example, theory can conduct our way of thinking, our way of seeing, our way of reading, our way of understanding, our mode of communication, our mode of expression, as well as our form of perception. When we write, we have already applied some forms of theory, such as rhetorical theory, syntatic theory. When we think, our personal thinking pattern may form a kind of thought, that may be called a ‘theory’ of your own, even though you haven’t illustrated to others about the relevent theoretical terms, or perhaps, you actually do not know how to describe the term. Hence, whether you like to use the word ‘theory’ and its related terminologies to describe and explain what you observe, understand, explain, or express that surrounds you, theory really accompanies you as you live by.

From this view, one may ask : What is theory? According to a dictionary, Collins Cobuild, it defines theory as : 1. a formal or a set of ideas that is intended to explain something;  2. the theory of a practical subject or skill is the set of rules and principles that form basis of it.

In another common dictionary, Oxford Advanced Dictionary 7th edition, it defines theory as: 1. a formal set of ideas that is intended to explain why something happens or exists. 2. the principles on which a particular subject is based.

To the definition of theory, both dictionaries offer us a common ground; that is, theory is used to observe and explain something, since it contains the rules and principles that form basis of that something.  As such,  theory is not that difficult as one think. After applying the so-called theory, you get more understanding of the ‘thing’.

Simply put, in order to get a better understanding of an object, we may choose to apply a theory of others, not relying on our own way (i.e. own theory), to obtain a different views and aspects of that object. Do you take photo? Do you work with computer? Do you cook? Do you watch TV? Do you play piano, and hear music? If that so, you have been applying at least some theories to a certain extent that help you yourself to understand the thing you work with, or you cope with. Even though you deny that you are making a theory of your own to explain your surroundings, still you are influenced by the theories of others, both directly and indirectly.

It is undeniable that many human-made theories in this world are very difficult to understand. Such difficulties, sometimes, are only a chicanery. Theorists often like to play trick and word game, to create a circular thinking, and to use many complicated jargons to their theories, so as to make readers feeling difficult to read, and turning around to get their points.  This is because theorists don’t want others to consider that their ideas are mediocrity. In addition, of course, the game rule of this world is that if you are saying something too ordinary, too mundane, no attention will be paid to you, including your ideas. Unfortunately, human nature tells us that we want  and need others’ attentions. Apart from those bad theories that playing tricks, there are still some inspiring theories of different levels that help readers observe different ‘things’ in an extraordinary way, as well as in multiple aspects. Don’t forget that theory can offer an explanation of the question ‘why’ for a ‘thing’, according to the Oxford Dictionary. Investigating ‘Why’ and ‘How’ for a thing to become, to exist, to sustain, to develops, and finally to disappear. Comparing to just asking what, asking why and how can usually offer a more interesting and inspiring insight to that ‘thing’. Although it is the fact that even good theory itself cannot provide the whole TRUTH of the ‘thing’ we observe, at least, it offers a PART OF TRUTH of that ‘thing’, opening up a new, broader thinking space for the observers to explore, to meditate, and finally, to comprehend.

What makes a painter becoming painter? Because he/she possesses sensitivity of colors prevailing his/her world. What makes a composer becoming composer? Because he/she possesses sensitivity of sound that conceals in this world. What makes a poet becoming poet? Because he/she possesses sensitivity of human emotions that are expressed throughout life. As such, what makes a theorist becoming theorist? Because he/she possesses sensitivity of observing objects that are existing in his/her world.

To me, theory is a mental ongoing process, whether it can be expressed in the form of statement, that formulates and formalizes a way or a pattern of observing and thinking of a ‘thing’ that exists in the world. Granted, we may not be able to make a theory of our own to formulate and formalize a ‘thing’, but if we want to be more insightful, creative and thoughtful on observing and understanding of a ‘thing’, please learn some theories of others. Apply them in your daily life and offer you a chance to learn a new way to view ‘thing’ in multipile angles. And , of course, please don’t forget to enjoy the satisfaction of what you could get from appreciating that ‘thing’. Perhaps, in one day, you can formulate a theory of your own that can be expressed in the form of statement. Then you are said to be a learned theorist.

David Leung

2011-01-06 (edited and published)