如何從哲學的角度理解英文 agent 和 agency ？

01-06

在閱讀中無數次的碰到agent和agency……但是發現似乎在中文中沒有合適對應的詞語？能否將前者理解為能動者，後者理解為能動性？ agent和agency在哲學上具體的定義又是什麼呢？

因為自己也對中文翻譯有疑問,拋個磚.

首先,詞源上確實來自於拉丁語,

agency (n.)1650s, "active operation," from Medieval Latin agentia, noun of state from Latin agentem (nominative agens) "effective, powerful," present participle of agere (seeact (n.)). Meaning "establishment where business is done for another" first recorded 1861.

agent (n.)late 15c., "one who acts," from Latin agentem (nominative agens) "effective, powerful," present participle of agere "to set in motion, drive, lead, conduct" (see act(n.)). Meaning "any natural force or substance which produces a phenomenon" is from 1550s. Meaning "deputy, representative" is from 1590s. Sense of "spy, secret agent" is attested by 1916.

可見, 區別於act,actor所表達的一般行為/行為者(先不管作為表演和演員這種特殊行為/行為者), agency,agent更多表示一種特殊行為/行為者:有效率,有能力的執行/執行者.或,代理/代理者.這樣看來,翻譯成"能動性" "能動者",字面意思並不錯.不過這個翻譯可能會有誤導性,比如我看到的第一個反應就是國內某些教材里的"發揮人的主觀能動性". - -

然後說下哲學裡面的用法, 如果你補充下具體在閱讀哪些材料里遇到這個詞,可能比較容易讓人回答, 因為具體在誰那裡的用法不盡相同. 我只能說說自己在閱讀中遇到agency,agent的兩條線索:

一個線索是現在語言哲學/心靈哲學裡的使用, 把具有目的性,且目的歸於清醒自我意識的行為看作agency,相應的行為歸屬者是agent. 以區別於動物性的或潛意識的行為. 一般意義上,即作為理性決策和決策者(這個語境下一般指個體). 這裡問題就來了, 理性決策究竟來自於物理因果解釋(包括生理機制,自然環境)還是某種心理因果性.這裡涉及到一個意向性(intentionality)問題的討論,可以參看http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/action/

另一個線索是英語學界對黑格爾,馬克思學說中"主體" 以及"人"的翻譯式詮釋. agent在這裡指的是有行動能力的社會群體或個體,相較於"主體"這個概念可能造成的含混, agent更中立, 在研究行為者--行為的關係時,不必把"主體"或者"人"作為前提設定. 此外, agent更易於表明某種社會建構性, 一個人合乎目的的行為可能深受社會影響,這時候可以說agent的行為是社會建構的. 但是如果說"人要吃飯"是社會建構的,就會很奇怪,畢竟"人"這個概念還有其生物學上的意義.

維基百科對Agency的部分解釋：

"Agency" refers to the capacity of individuals to act independently and to make their own free choices, based on their will, whereas "structure" refers to those factors (such as social class, but also religion, gender, ethnicity, subculture, etc.) that seem to limit or influence the opportunities that individuals have.

見到有高人將Agency譯為「施為」：

「人類施為（ human agency）」指人類進行選擇和以選擇來影響世界的能力。通常與「自然力」相對；而施為（ agency）在社會學意義上與「結構」相對。

agency ，the capacity to act 能動性，施動能力，行動能力，活動能力

agent，actor 能動者，施動者，行動者，活動者

In very general terms, an agent is a being with the capacity to act, and 『agency』 denotes the exercise or manifestation of this capacity.
In philosophy, agency is the capacity of an actor (a person or other entity, human or any living being in general) to act in any given environment.

In social science, agency is the capacity of individuals to act independently and to make their own free choices.

act/action，behave/behavior 行動，行為，施動，施為，活動

An action is a movement which is done by an agent. In common speech, the term action is often used interchangeably with the term behavior.
Collective action refers to action taken together by a group of people whose goal is to enhance their status and achieve a common objective.

active 主動的，活動的，活躍的，有活性的，有活力的

activeness，activity 活性，活躍度