荀子“天”论思想探析

Aanalysis on Tian in Xun Zi's Thought

荀子把"天"界定为自然意义上的存在,这种界定除了意味着传统意义上的天人相分外,还意味着天道相分。天道相分使天失去了传统意义上的宗教巫祝色彩和道德价值意蕴,把人从掺杂了各种人为赋给价值的天中解放出来并成为价值的主体。然而道并没有从荀子思想中消失,而是转化为礼,对人性和社会发挥着道德调节作用。荀子的这种天论思想直接决定了其思想路径,决定着其性论和礼论思想的产生,并且预设了人之于自然、人性自身和社会的价值投射。

Xun Zi defines ＂Tian＂ as an existence of nature, whih indicates that Tian is separating from Nature as well as Tao. Separation of Tian from Tao makes Tian lose its sense of superstition and morality and frees man from Tian to be the decisive subject of value. As a result, Tao, which does not disappear, turns into Li, which regulates the nature of human and society. Such thought of Tian determines his route of whole thoughts and the birth of his thoughts of nature and Li and presuppose man＇ s value projection to Nature, human nature and society.