Investigations Into Hegel's Concepts Of "Ethical Life" (Sittlichkeit) And "Morality" (Moralit?t)

"Ethical life" and "morality" are important concepts of practical philosophy.From the etymological viewpoint,both have similarities.In the history of philosophy,they also tend to be confused with each other.Hegel is the first philosopher to make a clear distinction between these two concepts.(1)But the gradation of these two concepts in his different works is even on the contrary.In the "Spirit" chapter of The Phenomenology of Spirit(1807),Hegel starts from "ethical life(Sittlichkeit)",then goes through the discussion of "alienation" and "enlightenment",and finally transits to "morality(Moralit?t)",where "morality" is a higher level than "ethical life";in Philosophy of Right(1821),Hegel divides the book into three parts according to the logical order: abstract law,morality and ethical life,where "ethical life" is a higher stage than "morality".Why does Hegel have a seemingly contradictory understanding of the relationship between "ethical life" and "morality" in his different works? This is the key problem that this paper attempts to solve.Firstly,based on Hegel's early works,this paper analyzes his discussions about "ethical life" and "morality" and their thinking sources,and then makes a comparative study of the related text passages in The Phenomenology of Spirit and Philosophy of Right.At the same time,considering the different gradation of these two concepts,this paper tries to show the tension between "ethical life" and "morality" in their logical development process,and thus draws the evolution and construction mode of Hegel's theories of "ethical life" and "morality".The paper also tries to show the dialectical relationship between "ethical life" and "morality" in the development of Hegel's philosophical system: individual morality is bred and formed in the existing ethical entity,and needs to be further demonstrated and confirmed in the absolute self-reliance of ethical rationality;morality contains a higher principle of subjectivity,and further promotes the movement and development of ethics.Hegel's argumentation on "ethical life" and "morality" is not a contradictory system;they have undergone a process of simultaneous transformation with historical evolution and social development.This paper draws lessons from the thinking resources such as social development history and sociology,and generalizes the transformation process of this paradigm as "identity ethics ? abstract morality ? role ethics".Combined with the evolution of social-historical development and logical moments,the paper comes to the following conclusion: the transition from "ethical life" to "morality" in The Phenomenology of Spirit indicates a stage in which the individual develops from the dependent link of belonging to the community to the stage of independence from the bondage of the community,i.e.the establishment of the status of individual subject;the moving-forward from "morality" to "ethical life" in Philosophy of Right refers to the individual's subjectivity and freedom can only be realized in the ethical community,that is,the diversity of individual social roles in the community.The Phenomenology of Spirit and Philosophy of Right together outline a developmental picture of "ethical life ? morality ? ethical life".Hegel's thoughts about ethical life and morality have important contemporary relevance,by means of which we can reflect on the ethical and moral conflicts,the social anomie of "ethical loss" and "moral deficit" in the context of globalization and informatization.This reflection is illuminating for the ethical life and moral construction of contemporary China.