“见”的伦理困境及其反思——从《孟子》“以羊易牛”说起

On Ethical Dilemma of“Seeing”and Its Reflection——My Opinion on the Allusion“To exchange a sheep for an ox”in Mencius

孟子以"见牛未见羊"来论证"以羊易牛"合法性的做法,给后世学者解读"以羊易牛"带来了不少困扰。朱熹从"仁术"、"理未形"、"人物有别"等角度替孟子进行辩护。"见牛未见羊"实质是强调"见"中蕴含的恻隐之情在推动人为善中的作用。从这个意义上,我们可以把"见牛未见羊"中所蕴含的伦理问题归约为如何认识道德情感在人类的伦理道德生活中的作用。我们认为,现代社会不能把人类的伦理道德生活建立在恻隐之情上,而必须建立在一套理性完善的伦理道德规范体系基础上。因此,道德教育必须重视后天的人为教化,通过系统的教化把道德理性加入道德情感之中,以使人形成以道德理性为主的良知。

Mencius has demonstrated the rationality in the allusion ＂To exchange a sheep for an ox＂by saying that＂seeing the cattle but not the sheep＂,which confused the latter scholars in interpreting ＂To exchange a sheep for an ox＂.Chu Hsi has spoken up for Mencius from the perspectives of that＂benevolent skill＂,＂reasoning hasn＇t been formed＂and＂man is different from animal＂.In fact,＂Seeing＂in the allusion＂seeing the cattle but not the sheep＂is to emphasize the function of compassion in being nice with others.In this sense,we can conclude that the ethic in ＂seeing the cattle but not the sheep＂is how to view the function of moral emotion in people＇s ethical life.We think that in modern society people should not base their ethical life on compassion,instead,they should base it on a whole set of ethical standard system.So,moral education should attach importance to acquired cultivation and add moral reason into people＇s moral emotion through systematic indoctrination.By this way,people will form their own conscience in which moral reason occupies the dominant position.