论荀子性恶说之意义与定位

On the Meaning and Assessment of Xunzi's Doctrine of Human Nature that is Evil

荀子系先秦儒学之殿军,其学无所不窥,举凡政治、军事、社会、教育、经济、知识、名理、心性及人生等皆有其个人之弘识,然要之,以"礼"为依归。由《荀子》一书中,随处可见荀子行文虽长篇大论,然皆有条不紊,且其立论时,多有严密之推理,其中,尤以性恶说之论证,最为明显。由于性恶说乃荀子之主要学说,故荀子即透过层层严密之论证来建立此论,以期性恶说能为世人所接受且信服。荀子性恶说之论证主要集中于《性恶》篇中,而荀子学说中最著名的即是性恶之主张。有关荀子之研究,中文学界之研究成果极为丰硕,而美国汉学界亦已作出极为可喜之成绩。虽然,荀子以主张性恶著称,然而,吾人发现,中、外学者在性恶之某些议题上之观点,却颇为分歧,其中,所涉及之议题有:荀子"性恶说"之意义及定位等。依此,本文旨在针对中、外学者所提出的一些与荀子"性恶说"之相关议题,予以分析、诠释,其目的在于厘清中、外学者在《荀子》思想中所发现之问题,并希望借此能对荀子之学说有更确切之理解与把握。

Xunzi is a very important figure in the Pre-Qin Confucian School, and is most famous for his claim that ＂human nature is evil.＂ However, this claim is also the most controversial in his thought. About the studies of Xunzi, both Chinese and American scholars have made great contributions. Nevertheless, scholars in the study of Xunzi have divergent ideas on the meaning and assessment of the doctrine of human nature that is evil. Thus, the aim of this paper is to solve the problems mentioned above and in turn, to have the better understanding of Xunzi＇s theory of human nature.