朱子格物致知说辩正

A Research on Zhu Xi's Thought of Exhaustively Pursue Principles by Investigating Things

朱子在诠解《大学》"格物致知"思想时,将其诠解为"即物而穷其理",朱子的这一诠解,对后世的"格物致知"思想之理解,影响重大。近代以来的一些学者,在理解朱子"格物致知"思想时,将其只理解是一种"穷物理"和"泛认知主义的认识方式"。他们的这一理解,因对朱子"格物致知"的思想,所要格之"物"和所应穷之"理"的理解存着偏差,故对朱子的"格物致知"思想有所误解,因此,他们对朱子的批评,不尽合理。朱子的"即物穷理",其所要穷之"理",虽包括"物理"在内,但更主要的是"人伦之理"。并且,朱子也非要求人们以客观认识的方式,来认知心体之"理",他其实是要求人们以"着实体验"的实践方式,显明心体之大用。

The thought of ＂extend knowledge by investigating things＂ in The Great Learning was interpreted as ＂exhaustive- ly pursue principles by investigating things＂ by Zhu Xi. This interpretation exerted a great influence on the understanding of ＂extend knowledge by investigating things＂ in the later ages. Some scholars unfairly criticized Zhu Xi＇ interpretation by mis- taking the idea of ＂exhaustively pursue principle by investigating things＂ as ＂ exhaustively pursue the knowledge of nature things＂ or ＂a cognitive method of understanding the moral principles in the Mind＂. The article will point out that these scholars has misunderstood the precise meaning of ＂things＂ and ＂principle＂ in the Zhu Xi＇ idea of ＂exhaustively pursue principle by investigating things＂. The things Zhu Xi wanted people to investigate include nature things ,but mostly refer to the social or moral practice. Thus the principles Zhu Xi wanted people to pursue mostly refer to the moral principles rather than natural principles. Moreover, Zhu Xi＇ theory of exhaustively pursue principle by investigating things doesn＇ t mean to understand the moral principles in the Mind objectively, instead, people should acquire real knowledges of moral principles through the social or moral practice.