摘要：漫漫人生路，是一个多项选择题。但若我们用数学几何图形来比喻，大体可有三种方式选择：圆、椭圆、正方形。哪一种选择好，应是椭圆的人生最好，因为人生既不能太圆，也不能太方，应是圆中有方的灵魂，方中也有圆的艺术。
宋圭武：选择椭圆的人生
漫漫人生路，是一个多项选择题。但若我们用数学几何图形来比喻，大体可有三种方式选择：圆、椭圆、正方形。哪一种选择好，应是椭圆的人生最好，因为人生既不能太圆，也不能太方，应是圆中有方的灵魂，方中也有圆的艺术。
圆的人生，不好处是两方面的。一是自身没有定位，总是随路况滚来滚去，其一生本质是一个世界的颠簸者和流浪者。二是圆虽然是一种自我高级的自私，因为圆实现了在周长固定条件下自身圈占面积的最大化，但这种自私并不利于世界实现总体均衡。因为若大家都是圆，世界也就失去了稳定性和规则性，最终谁都是世界的流浪者和颠簸者。
正方形的人生也是不理想的。一是人生太尖刻太裸露，未必都是善。因为太尖刻了，容易伤人，这伤人，就是一种不好。而且若大家都尖刻，都裸露，最终大家必然是互相伤来伤去，最终大家都是受害者，最终社会总福利大大降低。二是人生有伪装，未必都是恶。比如面对坏人，善良的人也要学会保护自己，在这种情况下，伪装就是一种必要，因为这种伪装是对“善的基因”的保护，是具有正义价值的。再比如，面对病危患者，说说假话，未必不可以。若一句假话救人一命，这样的假话也是具有善的价值的。因为生命的价值高于一切。另外，生命是属于目的理性或价值理性的范畴，而说话则是属于工具理性的范畴。
椭圆的人生最理想。一是椭圆的内心有不变的尺度。什么是椭圆，就是平面内与两定点的距离的和等于常数的动点的轨迹叫做椭圆。这个常数就是椭圆心中世界要守的不变尺度。也就是说，不管运动的我与两定点的距离如何变，但我心中要守的尺度总是不变，这个不变的尺度，就是初心，就是使命。
二是椭圆的人生是稳当的人生。椭圆既克服了圆太圆滑的世故和不稳当且遇外界变化就会滚来滚去的特点，也克服了正方形太直接太尖刻的不足。椭圆实现了圆润中的稳健、稳健中的圆润。最终，椭圆既守住了自己的阵地，同时还具有了一定的灵活性，这种灵活性既保护了自己，也滑润了别人和世界。
三是椭圆的两个焦点的特性更符合发展的辩证法和人性的辩证法。从发展的辩证法看，两个焦点的属性让我们看问题更全面，更长远。因为我们总是能站在一个焦点的位置上，聚焦到另一个焦点的情况，而不是顾此失彼，只知其一。从人性的辩证法看，人总是追求两点的。雨果说，人并不是只有一个圆心的圆圈，它是一个有两个焦点的椭圆形，事物是一个点，思想是另一个点。
四是椭圆的人生也高度切合自然秩序的法则。自然法则是宇宙的终极秩序，也是人生秩序的归宿。老子说，人法地、地法天、天法道、道法自然。欧洲重农学派创始人魁奈在《自然法则》一书中说：“自然法则是人类立法的基础和人类行为的最高准则。”从自然秩序现象看，从无机世界到有机世界，椭圆现象无处不有。从无机世界看，电子围绕原子核旋转的轨道是椭圆形；太阳系行星的公转轨道是椭圆形；恒星围绕银核公转的公转轨道是椭圆形。从有机世界看，鸡蛋，生命的初始形态和摇篮，是椭圆形。对人脸而言，具有椭圆形的脸是被人们普遍认可的标准理想脸型。因为这种脸型特点是额头与颧骨等宽，同时又比下颌稍宽一点，脸宽约为脸长的三分之二，具有典型的清秀、端正、典雅等特征。作为希腊文化的阐释者、发现者，温克尔曼（ＪｏｈａｎｎＪｏｃｈｉｍ Ｗｉｎｃｋｅｌ－ｍａｎｎ，１７１７－１７６８）在《古代艺术史》中就声称椭圆是最美的线条和形式。同时，温克尔曼还发现，希腊艺术中最美好的形式总被椭圆所充实。同时他还认为，就人脸而言，椭圆几乎是希腊艺术家蓄意经营的形状：为制成椭圆的脸形，雕像的刘海必定维持一定的弧度，以挡住天庭，从而形成一个合适的额头，以使脸部整体构成一个椭圆形。
总之，选择椭圆的人生，既能聚焦理想，也能聚焦现实，既有当前，更有长远，既有自己，更有别人，这必然是妥妥稳当的人生。当然，我们还要看到，椭圆中还有优美椭圆（离心率为黄金比的椭圆），所以，即使我们选择椭圆的人生，也还需要不断努力，不断提升，要向优美椭圆不断靠近，使人生理想和现实的结合不仅更紧密，而且更优美，使人生价值不仅更管用，还更具有美学意义，这是人生之至大境、至高境。（作者：兰州城市学院特聘教授，原甘肃省委党校二级教授）
Song Guiwu: Choosing an Elliptical Life
The long journey of life is like a multiple-choice question. If we use mathematical geometric figures as a metaphor, there are roughly three ways to choose: circle, ellipse, and square. Which one is the best? The elliptical life is the best choice. Because life cannot be too round or too square. It should be a soul that is round yet square, and an art that is square yet round.
A circular life has two drawbacks. First, it lacks a clear direction and just rolls along with the circumstances. Its essence is that of a wanderer and a traveler in the world. Second, although a circle is a kind of self-centered selfishness, as it maximizes the area it occupies with a fixed perimeter, this kind of selfishness is not conducive to the overall balance of the world. If everyone were a circle, the world would lose its stability and regularity, and everyone would become a wanderer and traveler in the world.
A square life is also not ideal. First, it is too sharp and exposed, not necessarily all good. Because being too sharp can hurt others, and hurting others is not good. Moreover, if everyone is sharp and exposed, they will eventually hurt each other, and everyone will be a victim, resulting in a significant reduction in the overall welfare of society. Second, a square life has a disguise, not necessarily all bad. For example, when facing bad people, kind people also need to learn to protect themselves. In this case, disguise is necessary because it protects the "gene of kindness" and has a just value. Another example is when facing a critically ill patient, telling a lie may not be bad. If a lie can save a life, such a lie also has a good value because life is above all else. Moreover, life belongs to the category of purpose rationality or value rationality, while speaking belongs to the category of instrumental rationality.
An elliptical life is the most ideal. First, an ellipse has an unchanging scale in its heart. What is an ellipse? It is the trajectory of a moving point in a plane whose sum of distances to two fixed points is a constant. This constant is the unchanging scale that the elliptical heart of the world must adhere to. That is to say, no matter how the distance between the moving me and the two fixed points changes, the scale I must adhere to in my heart remains unchanged. This unchanging scale is the original intention and the mission.
Second, an elliptical life is a stable life. An ellipse overcomes the overly smooth and unstable characteristics of a circle, as well as the overly direct and sharp shortcomings of a square. An ellipse achieves stability within roundness and roundness within stability. Ultimately, an ellipse not only holds its ground but also has a certain degree of flexibility, which protects itself and smooths the way for others and the world.
Third, the characteristics of the two foci of an ellipse are more in line with the dialectics of development and human nature. From the perspective of the dialectics of development, the attributes of the two foci allow us to view problems more comprehensively and from a longer-term perspective. Because we can always stand at one focus and focus on the situation at the other focus, rather than being one-sided and only knowing one aspect. From the perspective of the dialectics of human nature, people always pursue two points. Hugo said, "Man is not a circle with only one center; he is an ellipse with two foci. One focus is the object, and the other is thought."
Fourth, an elliptical life is highly consistent with the laws of natural order. The laws of nature are the ultimate order of the universe and the destination of the order of life. Laozi said, "Man follows the earth, the earth follows the sky, the sky follows the Dao, and the Dao follows nature." Quesnay, the founder of the European Physiocratic School, said in his book "The Natural Order": "The laws of nature are the foundation of human legislation and the highest criterion of human behavior." From the perspective of natural order phenomena, from the inorganic world to the organic world, elliptical phenomena are everywhere. In the inorganic world, the orbit of electrons around the atomic nucleus is elliptical; the orbits of planets in the solar system are elliptical; the orbits of stars around the galactic nucleus are elliptical. In the organic world, the egg, the initial form and cradle of life, is elliptical. For human faces, an oval face is widely recognized as the standard ideal face shape. This is because an oval face has a forehead and cheekbones of equal width, while being slightly wider than the jaw, with the face width being approximately two-thirds of the face length. It typically features a delicate, upright, and elegant appearance. As an interpreter and discoverer of Greek culture, Johann Joachim Winckelmann (1717-1768) claimed in his "History of Ancient Art" that the oval is the most beautiful line and form. At the same time, Winckelmann also found that the most beautiful forms in Greek art were always filled with ovals. Moreover, he believed that for human faces, the oval was almost the shape deliberately pursued by Greek artists: to create an oval face shape, the bangs of the statue must maintain a certain arc to cover the forehead, thereby forming a suitable forehead and making the entire face an oval shape.
In conclusion, choosing an oval life means focusing on both ideals and reality, encompassing the present and the future, oneself and others. This is undoubtedly a stable and secure life. Of course, we should also note that there are beautiful ovals (ellipses with an eccentricity of the golden ratio). Therefore, even if we choose an oval life, we still need to constantly strive and improve, approaching the beautiful oval. This will make the combination of life ideals and reality not only closer but also more beautiful, and make life values not only more practical but also more aesthetically significant. This is the highest and greatest realm of life. (Author: Distinguished Professor of Lanzhou City University, former Second-Class Professor of Gansu Provincial Party School)
来源：宋圭武
