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虽然在所有的宗教传统中都存在着极端的自我牺牲现象,但要对它加以解释却并非易事。我们想当然地认为大多数自寻痛苦和自寻死路的人是精神不正常的。但某些研究驳斥了下面这种貌似明白无误的结论,即宗教中的自我牺牲也是由沮丧、痴迷或其他非理性所致。旨在伤害的牺牲可视为一种市场现象,是自愿牺牲的数目较少的人力供给和那些从牺牲行为中获益的数量较大的“需求者”之间的交换行为。与流行的看法相反,“殉教”市场不繁荣不是因为需求受限,而是因为供给受限。在招募、训练并指导潜在的殉教者方面训练有素的那些人,几乎从未从自杀式袭击中获益。但殉教市场一旦建立,就很难关闭。对供给的遏制很难奏效,抑制需求的效果会更长久。
Although there is extreme self-sacrifice in all religious traditions, it is not easy to explain it. We take it for granted that most of the people who find pain and find themselves dead are mentally impaired. However, some studies refute the seemingly unambiguous conclusion that self-sacrifice in religion is also caused by depression, obsession or other irrationality. The sacrifice intended for harm can be seen as a market phenomenon, the exchange of manpower between voluntary sacrifices and the larger number of “demanders” who have benefited from their sacrifices. Contrary to popular belief, the “martyrdom” market does not prosper not because of limited demand but because of limited supply. Those who are well-trained in recruiting, training and mentoring potential martyrs have almost never benefited from suicide attacks. But once the martyrdom market is established, it is hard to shut down. Containing the supply is difficult to work, and the effect of curbing demand will be longer.