浙江社会科学

平克认为，人类历史的演进呈现一个暴力减少的过程，这是人类历史最重要的一件事，它表征着人类之“人性中的善良天使”战胜“心魔”的过程。暴力下降，是“国家的平靖”、“文明的过程”、“人道主义革命”、二战以来“长期和平”、武装冲突的节制化形成的“新和平”、“权利革命”的结果。平克以暴力下降为进步之尺度的低调历史观和“减少痛苦”的低调道德观，虽然缺乏激动人心、令人向往的理想主义色彩，却体现了现代“文明”之伟大的人道精神。文明，归根结底是一个人类脱离野蛮状态的人性升华过程。暴力下降之所以对于人类历史至关重要，在于其彰显了生命的价值和人的尊严。这一人道主义的伟大胜利，是人类文明进步最值得骄傲的成就。

According to Stephen Pinker,the evolution of human history presents a process of reducing violence, which is the most important thing in human history, representing the process of “the better angels of human nature” overcoming “the demons”. The decline in violence is the result of “the pacification of State”,“the process of civilization”, “the humanitarian revolution”, “the long period of peace” since the Second World War, and the “new peace”, the“ revolution of rights” resulting from the moderation of arms conflicts.Pinker's low-key historical view of violence decline as the scale of progress and his low-key moral view of“reducing suffering”, though lacking exciting and desirable idealism, embody the great humane spirit of modern “civilization”. In the final analysis,civilization is a process of human sublimation from barbarism. The utmost importance of the decline in violence to human history is on account of the value of life and human dignity. This great humanitarian victory is the proudest achievement in the progress of human civilization.