孟子人性论辨析——兼评葛瑞汉《孟子人性理论的背景》一文

A Differentiation and Analysis of Mencius' Thought on Human Nature:Commenting on The Background of Mencius' Theory of Human Nature by Graham

孟子的人性论通过心性天三位一体的关系,开辟了一条对人人有效的天人沟通渠道,开创了一种新的事天方式。心性作为天的内化,在大多数人那里以善端的形式存在,而于生知之圣则以人性的完成形态先天存在。葛瑞汉发表的《孟子人性理论的背景》一文,在西方汉学界产生了巨大影响,引发了二十余年对儒家人性论的争论。葛瑞汉认为,孟子的人性论不是性善论而是趋善论,即善性是理想态而非完成态。葛瑞汉的分析具有很大的合理性,但忽视了儒家存在生知之圣这一天然达到人性完成状态(现实性)的圣人,这使其描绘的儒家人性论图景只具备普遍的而非绝对的适用性,也直接影响到对儒家哲学更进一步的深入理解。

Mencius＇thought on human nature opened up a comprehensively effective channel for the communication between Tian（the haven）and human beings and set up a new means to serve the haven by means of a trinity relationship among the three things of Xin,Xingand Tian.For most people,Xinand Xingexist as the internalization of the haven,while the sages with knowing upon birth have been the innate existence as the finished form of human nature.The Background of Mencius＇Theory of Human Nature published by Graham exerted a great influence in the circle of Sinology in the west and triggered a debate lasting more than twenty years on the Confucianism thought of human nature.In the view of Graham,Mencius held that human nature is not the perfect form of goodness,but an inclination toward goodness,that is,the nature of goodness is not the ideal form,but an unfinished form.His analysis was of great rationality to a certain degree.He,however,ignored the existence in Confucianism thoughts of sages with knowing upon birth which was the finished form of human nature（the reality）,thus making his description and analysis of human nature by Confucianism merely of general rather than absolute applicability,and directly hinder a further and deeper understanding of Confucianism philosophy.