荀子人性论的内在理路——以诸概念辨析为逻辑视角

Internal Logic of Xunzi's Theory of Human Nature:A Perspective of Concepts Analysis

荀子人性论涉及性、情、欲、心、伪等概念,他承袭先秦官方对于民性的悲观态度,以对政治秩序的影响作为评判善恶的标准,将性与情混用,使二者共同指向欲,以社会群体为追求欲望而导致政治混乱作为人之"性恶"的实质表现;通过欲与心的区分,指出"心之所可失理"是使人无限追求欲望的原因,同时肯定心知礼义就可以控制欲望,由此,以心沟通性与伪,提出"化性而起伪"的结论,明确了礼乐教化是人性改造的必由之路。

Xunzi＇ s theory of human nature included some basic concepts such as humanity, emotion, desire, heart, and artificiality. Xunzi took a gloomy view of humanity, as did the Pre-Qin officials. He regarded the effects on political order as the standard judging good and evil, and he mixed humanity up with emotion, meaning desire. He considered the phenomenon that social group pursued desires causing the society confusion as the evil nature of human. Then, he distinguished desire from heart and pointed out that people would pursue desires infinitely as soon as their hearts approved of unreasonable things. Meanwhile people＇ s hearts could control their desires after they understood rites. Based on this point, Xunzi put forward the conclusion that people must ＂educate humanity and carry out artificiality＂, using heart as a bridge. Finally, he proved that rites and music education was the inevitable course for moralizing human nature.