孟子性善论新探

In Mencius’ theory of the original goodness in human nature, fate is the original source of xing (nature). Heart is the appearance of nature. There are two aspects to nature and heart: ti (form) and yong (function). From the perspective of form, nature is liangzhi (the goodness in conscience) and liangneng (the inborn ability to be good) in human beings and heart is human’s conscience and original heart. From the perspective of function, nature is the four things of benevolence, righteousness, propriety and wisdom, and heart consists in compassion, shame, respect, right and wrong. As the foundation for the theory of the original goodness in human nature, conscience and heart are a combination of human moral instinct, moral rationality and moral volition, whereas moral instinct gradually rises to moral volition and passes through moral rationality. Mencius’ theory of the original goodness in human nature is not a theory of future goodness, but a theory of original goodness. Translated by Wang Bei from Qilu Xuekan 齐鲁学刊(Journal of Qilu), 2006, (4): 16–20     

直感判断力:理解儒学的心之能力

Mou Zongsan incorrectly uses Kant’s practical reason to interpret Confucianism. The saying that “what is it that we have in common in our minds? It is the li 理 (principles) and the yi 义 (righteousness)” reveals how Mencius explains the origin of li and yi through a theory of common sense. In “the li and the yi please our minds, just as the flesh of beef and mutton and pork please our mouths,” “please” is used twice, proving aesthetic judgment is necessary to understanding Mencius. An analysis of Zhu Xi and Wang Yangming’s ideas will show that Confucianism should be interpreted by appealing to aesthetic judgment, and a discussion of Kant’s theory of judgment and Gadamer’s critique of Kant’s theory will support the same point. The conclusion is that Chinese moral philosophy should be interpreted through aesthetic judgment.     

千年误读:驳孟子"迂阔"论

二千多年来孟子一直被视为“迂阔”的典型,历史的偏见至今未得到彻底的厘清。其实孟子是位坚定的现实主义者,其学术的基调是坚持从实际出发,其哲学的根本精神是强调实事求是。孟子反对脱离实际、超越现实可能性的社会经济政策;主张道德源于生活,摈弃与生活严重脱节的虚骄的道德言行;坚持条件论,强调事物存在的现实性,强调人能有所为,但不能无所不为。孟子的条件论为其思想的务实精神,奠定了哲学基础。     

A Mencian Version of Limited Democracy

The compatibility between Western democracy and other cultures, and the desirability of democracy, are two important problems in democratic theory. Following an insight from John Rawls’s later philosophy, and using some key passages in Mencius, I will show the compatibility between a ‘thin’ version of liberal democracy and Confucianism. Moreover, elaborating on Mencius’s ideas of the responsibility of government for the physical and moral well-being of the people, the respectability of the government and the ruling elite, and the competence-based limited political participation, I shall explore the Mencian criticisms of some ‘thick’ democratic ideas. Through the discussion in this paper, I hope to show the relevance of Confucianism to contemporary political philosophy and society.

性善:一种引导性的概念--孟子性善论的哲学意蕴与方法内涵

长期以来,学术界把孟子的性善观念理解为一种先验性的学说,但是,本文认为。先验／经验的范畴归属于认知性的哲学(cognitive philosophy),其论证功能更多的指向理论。而不是规范。而孟子的性善说却以对于“以故言性”的认知性的人性理论的批判为其出发点,后者所导致的理论结果往往是“以情才代性”,也就说,认知性的人性论触及的总是“情”与“才”,而不是真正的“性”。而孟子本人的性善论不是对于人性所表现出来的经验性事实的理论解释,其功能主要是规范性的,可以将之理解为一种引导性(orientative)的概念,它的主旨不在于获得某种知识理论,而是在实现人与世界的某种转化。     

明清四种注《孟》著作散论

明清两代 ,有四部以“孟子”为书名前冠的著作 ,作者分别是黄宗羲、戴震、焦循、康有为。他们在《孟子师说》、《孟子字义疏证》、《孟子正义》、《孟子微》中 ,对《孟子》这一经典文本注入了自己有创意的见解。这些独创的观点 ,不仅较好地体现了这四位思想家不同于传统的启蒙风貌与近代意识 ,也体现了中国文化发展历史的规律与特点。     

书《孟子·离娄·齐人有一妻一妾》章后

《孟子·离娄·齐人有一妻一妾》章是中国最早的人情小说,孟子非常成功地运用了视角转换这一小说技巧,最后点明寓意的一句话对蒲松龄的《聊斋志异》有负面影响。如能与其前一章合读,将会看出孟子发现了人类被偷窥的尴尬处境。历来的学者割裂了此章与前一章的联系,影响了读者对孟子的认识。     

“Athl-Ethics”: Virtue Training in Mencius and Aristotle

The late Zhou of China and the Classical age of Greece both saw great impetus in intellectual thought and were marked by intense warfare. Being closely linked to warfare in antiquity, sports was a vital, commonplace activity whose jargon and practices naturally informed philosophical discourses. One can thus observe convergences between athletics and ethics in texts which took shape in these times and places, a phenomenon which I shall refer to as “athl-ethics.” In this paper, I separately examine and then compare athl-ethic phenomenon in Mencius and in the Nicomachean Ethics. Both texts are rife with sports metaphors. I regard the use of sports-derived imagery as a thin form of athl-ethicism. Sports, however, did more than inspire useful analogies. Physical training and competition were considered occasions for nourishing and practicing virtue. This generated thicker forms of athl-ethicism.     

宋代学人对两宋非孟思潮的理论回击

在宋代声势浩大的孟子升格运动中,出现了一些非孟者,他们对孟子的批评成为孟子升格运动中的不和谐音。以胡宏、张九成、余允文为代表的宋代学者对非孟者进行了直接的回击。他们的回击不仅对于消除人们对孟子的疑虑和巩固孟子的历史地位有积极作用,而且也维护了正在兴起和发展的理学的地位,可以从中把握到各自思想的脉膊及宋代学术发展的多种路径。     

孟子王道理想的心性向度

王道理想是孟子政治哲学的核心,作为一套超乎现实却又对现实具有普遍导向意义的治国理念,其践行的基石被孟子归结在人的心性之上。立足于“心”孟子提出王道缘起于“仁”,基于“性”孟子断言王道的落实在于“义”;由“心”“性”的统一确立了仁义一体的构想,据此认为,“居仁由义”是王道理想得以向现实转化的基本思路。