武宏志

(延安大学 政法与公共管理学院，陕西 延安 716000)

晋荣东的《规则、判断力与批判性思维》一文，考察了批判性思维与规则和判断力的关系，认为批判性思维不能还原为规则，而且这些规则的应用需要判断力发挥作用。对此本人深表赞同。可是，当晋荣东将判断力的问题与对“批判性思维的定义的准确理解与翻译”(尤其是《德尔菲报告》的批判性思维定义)联系起来，并论证其中的“judgment应该译作‘判断力’”[1]122时，他的论证却经不起推敲。

费西万《批判地思考》一书在解释“关键词”时，表述了如下批判性思维定义：Critical thinking is purposeful,reflective judgment that manifests itself in giving reasoned and fair-minded consideration to evidence,conceptualizations,methods,contexts,and standards in order to decide what to believe or what to do.[2]16晋荣东认为，将该定义(以及表述上有细微差别的定义)中的judgment译为“判断”是“不妥当”译法，译为“判断力”才对。他的两个主要论据是：第一，表述“判断”或“判断过程”这两种含义的“judgment”是一个可数名词，而定义中使用的是不可数名词。第二，“判断”的译法恐有把批判性思维错误理解为一种静态的认知结果之虞。但是，仔细考察费西万的相关论述，就可证明从这两个论据不能推出“判断力”是更好译法这一结论。

一、定义或准定义中的judgment(s)

首先，第一个论据不能成立。从语言学的角度上说，不可能固定一个名词的单数适合某个译法，复数只适合另一种译法。就费西万的文本来说，与批判性思维定义相联系的judgment，既有复数形式，也有单数形式。比如：

1.The defining purpose of critical thinking is to make reflective judgments about what to believe or what to do.[2]16

2.Strong critical thinking—making well-reasoned judgments about what to believe and what to do—is essential to consistently successful decision making.[2]7

3.Regardless of what we call it,there will always be plenty of important work inside and outside of academia for those who teach the skills and nurture the positive habits of mind that enable people to engage in the process of purposeful,fair-minded reflective judgment about problems and issues of genuine concern.[3]21

4.We tend to use this awkward phrase to suggest that in making a reflective judgment one will often need to consider several interpretations that lead to various truths,one of which is promises to be optimal.[3]22

以上judgment的单数形式和复数形式，都译为“判断”，并不会导致语义理解的问题。相反，把不可数形式译为“判断力”却可能产生语义困难。……