荀子人性论与儒家人性论的历史向度

The Rebuttal of Xunzi's Doctrine of Human Nature by Confucianism

荀子人性论是儒家思想史的特例 ,儒家学统中存在着三种不同于荀子性恶论的观念。其中孟子重在以超越的价值感受性来规定人“性” ,区别于荀子的自然主义式的性恶观念 ;朱熹侧重分析心性的不同可能性 ,指出在人“心”中存在着对恶的自觉和向善的实践力量 ,以此纠正荀子对性恶的简单判定 ;而王阳明则以“性觉”论辨析人“心”的善与恶的来源 ,对荀子和程朱的理论皆有所辨正。

The paper presents three rebuttals of Xunzi's doctrine of human nature, which believes man is born evil. Mencius was a staunch champion of the Confucian principle that human naturetends to what is morally good, and only runs to evil by reason of the perverse influences of external environment. Chu Hsi emphasized the diverse possibilities of the mind, which could self-sense the evil and thus be ennobling. Based on his theory that man is conscious of his own human nature, Wang Yangming tried to explore the origins of good and evil in human nature, amending both Xunzi's doctrine and Chu Hsi's thoughts.