任自然而忘是非——郭象政治哲学再思

Abiding by Naturalness and Neglecting Rightness: Rethinking Guo Xiang’s Political Philosophy

郭象的政治哲学不是由理想状态出发对现实政治进行的规范性劝诫,而是基于其性分论的形而上学对统治的正当性进行的辩护。统治者决断的依据不在是非而在于自然,出于自然的行为就其本质而言仍然符合无为的要求。郭象以此为统治者政治统治的合法性提供了辩护。

Instead of a normative expostulation on real politics based on an ideal state, Guo Xiang’s political philosophy is a justicifation of the rule which is based on the metaphysical foundation of individual nature (xing-fen). It is naturalness (zi-ran), rather than rightness, that provides for the rulers their grounds for judging. The rule out of naturalness is in essence consistent with non-action (wu-wei). Guo Xiang thus offers his justification of the rule.