20100304

精讀的兩個理由

梁文道在一篇文章裏談到古人注重精讀,現代的讀者則大多習慣泛讀,而他「老是懷舊,總覺得最愉快的讀書時光還是上大學的時候,跟着老師讀海德格(Martin Heidegger)的《存在與時間》,一學期結束了還没翻到第八十頁」。其實古代的讀書人多數是為了做學問而讀書,不精讀便做不成學問,加上可讀的書不是無窮無盡,即使本本花大量時間精讀,也不會覺得因而錯失了很多其他值得一讀的書。我們的情況不同,很多人讀書只是為了消閒,消閒書大多易懂,不精讀亦無妨;況且現在每天都有成千上萬的書出版,即使只有一成是好書,也足以令愛讀書的人忍受不了泛讀的誘惑。

然而,我們仍有兩大理由精讀某些書。讀艱深難懂的書,例如句句令人抓破頭的《存在與時間》,精讀是唯一的讀法;不精讀,便會完全不明白,就算你有耐力硬把全書翻完,那和沒有讀過的分別不大。我從上學期起在Philosophical Methods 一課裏採用了維根斯坦的《哲學研究》做讀本,為的就是要教學生如何精讀。跟《存在與時間》不同,《哲學研究》句句文字顯淺,但你就是不知道維根斯坦為甚麼要說那些話、在處理甚麼哲學問題、如何處理等等。怎麼辦?只有慢慢讀、細細讀,正如維根斯坦自己說: "Sometimes a sentence can be understood only if it is read at the right tempo. My sentences are all supposed to be read slowly." 我經常跟學生花一整堂的時間討論一個只有六七行的小節,一學期結束了,都是讀了八十頁左右而已。

另一個精讀的理由是那本書可以幫助你建立一個重要的基礎。不一定是學問的基礎,也可以是道德的基礎、藝術的基礎等,你要把書仔細反覆地讀,觸類旁通,基礎方能建立起來。假如你認為《聖經》是你人生的基石,你不是應該把它精讀嗎?我的論文導師有一本關於懷疑論的書,我當年精讀了幾遍,成了我哲學基礎的一部份;另一例子是Essays of E. B. White,這不是本難懂的書,散文集而已,我也精讀過,就是為了打好英文寫作風格的基礎(這本書我到現在還經常翻看)。

如果你只會泛讀,從未精讀過一本書,那有點像朋友中只有君子之交而沒有知心好友,恐怕是一種缺失。

7 則留言:

  1. 讀大學時,老師並無一定要,同學也不是人人買,但我自己發願,要捱Wittgenstein的 Philososphical Investigations,足足兩年。
    另外一本是與課程無關,香港大學哲學系和中文系都不碰的---熊十力的「新唯識論」。日日刨,刨了幾個月刨完。
    之後畢生都沒有這樣的傻勁來用功了。
    一般的學子,聽了一些lectures,讀幾篇有人對某理論或哲學家的commentary,要交功課,就憑這些一麟半爪,也來做 critical analysis一番,up得就up,真是唐突古人。

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  2. Chris,

    用兩年來讀Philosophical investigations,那是精讀了。很多說喜歡Wittgenstein哲學的人其實從來都沒有把PI仔細讀過。

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  3. 越想理解 PI, 就發覺越難理解。問題/困難不一而足:

    1. PI 是一本論述的哲學著作還是一本對話錄?

    1.1 如果 PI 包含的是對話,我們如何分開所謂的 Wittgenstein 與 interlocutor 的說話?

    1.2 為何 Wittgenstein 不以對話的方式去寫 PI?(更有學者說 PI 其實的一本哲學分析 (與心理分析 (psychoanalysis) 類似) 的記錄.)

    1.3 如果 PI 不是一本對話錄,為何它夾雜了許多問句,和對問題不同意見的陳述或回應?

    2. 他如何可以表達哲學沒有題出任何理論,而僅是治療,同時對語言哲學有肯定的論述?

    2.1. PI 究竟有沒有正面肯定任何語言哲學?

    2.2. 如果 PI 沒有肯定任何語言哲學,為什麼我們會覺得他對語言提出了哲學的看法

    2.3. 如果 PI 有肯定語言哲學,這個肯定本身又是否需要哲學治療,而加以揚棄?

    2.4. PI 裡對 understanding, private language, rule-following 等等的討論是對哲學作為治療的例子,還是他真正討論若干的問題?

    3. 他所謂 PI only can be read in the right light when it is read against Wittgenstein's "background of his old way of thinking",的 background 指什麼?

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  4. Yan,

    To save time, I have to respond in English.

    1. Neither. It's a collection of philosophical remarks.

    1.1 Most of the time it is not very hard to tell whether it is Wittgenstein or his interlocutor(s) who is speaking. Some passages are indeed difficult in this respect, and how you read them would depend on your overall interpretation of Wittgenstein.

    1.2. I am not sure the content of the PI can easily be rewritten as a dialog. (You could try it for a few pages.)

    1.3. That's because, first, he tries to approach the same points "afresh from different directions", and second, he does not want "to spare other people the trouble of thinking" (Preface).

    2. I disagree with the view that Wittgenstein's philosophical writings are merely "therapeutic".

    2.1. My answer is "Yes".

    2.2. See above.

    2.3. No.

    2.4. Remember, Wittgenstein named his book "Philosophical Investigations", not "Philosophical Therapy".

    3. It is clear that "background" refers to the Tractatus.

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  5. Thank you very much for replying those all questions. As you have read PI in a slow and careful way, you should have some strong reasons for the answers.

    But for your answer of 2.3. Does it has any inconsistency that Wittgenstein has a positive claim about language which is exempt from being criticized from the positive claim itself?

    For 2.4, in contrast to s.118, s133 and s255, does Wittgenstein mean "Philosophical Investigations" as Therapeutic Investigations indeed?

    I should have more questions for your answers but I cannot express in full as I am in a quick run. And I am quite sure that I also have confusions in understanding PI.

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  6. yan,

    Wittgenstein has a specific view on the nature of linguistic meaning, but he probably does not see it as a theory.

    Section 118: Wittgenstein's philosophy destroys "only houses of cards", i.e. misunderstandings of the nature of language; this does not rule out that there can be a correct understanding of the nature of language.

    Section 133: What Wittgenstein says is that "THE philosophical problems should completely disappear", rather than that "philosophical problems should completely disappear". He is speaking only of philosophical problems that arise as a result of doing philosophy in the wrong way.

    Section 255: Anscombe's translation is not quite accurate. "The philosopher's treatment of a question is like the treatment of an illness" suggests that a philosophical question is a form of illness. A more accurate translation of the original German text should read "The philosopher treats a question, as an illness is treated". The point of comparison is "treat", not "illness".

    Hope this helps.

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  7. Thanks, you read PI at least consistently.

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