荀子“群”本位思想刍析

Analysis of Hsun-Tzu's Thought of Group Orientation

荀子所处的时代是战国末年,其时社会处于失序状态中,荀子思想宗旨就是重整社会秩序。重整社会秩序的理论前提是"天人相分",通过"明分"方法,从"天道"回归"人道"。"人道"包含着两个序列:第一序列是人类社会"原发阶段"。此阶段人类面临与动物间的赤裸裸的"欲"之博弈,而博弈法则就是"群",人类集合成"群",才能脱颖而出,战胜其他动物。第二序列是人类社会"后发阶段"。此阶段所面临的问题是如何维系"群"。荀子之方式是"化性起伪",使人迁恶趋善,从而使社会摆脱混乱,臻于安宁协和的境地。因此,不论是在第一序列,还是在第二序列,"群"均是其博弈法则。在此意义上,荀子是"群"本位者。

Hsun-Tzu lived in the late phase of the Warring States Period.At that time,the society was in a state of chaos,thus Hsun-Tzu＇s thought tenet was to rectify social order,whose theoretic premise was ＂separation of nature and man＂,by ＂separation＂,＂the nature＂ regresses to ＂humanitarian＂.Humanitarian includes two stages： the first is the primary stage of human society.At this stage,human face the naked desire game with the animal.While the rule of game is group,by congregation into group,human can show off and overcome animals.The second is the late stage of society.At this stage,human face the problem of how to maintain the group.The way of maintaining is ＂changing humanity artificially＂,which makes human move from evil to goodness,thus society shakes off chaos and reaches the peaceful situation.Therefore,whether in the first stage or the second one,the group is the rule of the game.In this sense,Hsun-Tzu is a advocator of ＂group＂.