情感哲学视野中的“恻隐之心”——兼论孟子情论的全球性价值

Reinterpreting the ‘Feeling of Compassion' from the Perspective of the Philosophy of Emotion:The Global Value of Mencius' s Ideas on Moral Feeling and Reason

当今欧美的"情感哲学"研究方兴未艾,从这种最新哲学视角出发来反观中国儒家哲学,特别是孟子的"四端"思想,可以获得"比较哲学"方面的诸多新启示。本文从五种情感的角度来阐发孟子哲学的"情理结构":一、"情感理性"的角度:究竟是"端",还是"心"?二、"动物情感"的角度:"四端之端"到底在哪里?三、"道德情感"的角度:"四端"顺序与"四心"程序。四、"积极情感"的角度:由"性善"推出的"情善"。五、"人类情感"的角度:孟子情论的全球价值何在?由此可见,孟子的关于"情"的思想,具有全球性的价值和意义,这意味着中国的智慧并不是地域性的智慧,而是可以跻身为世界性的智慧。从孟子"情论"出发的这种"情理结构"应是执两用中的:从现实出发上,那是"道始于情",从生存境界上,乃为"孔颜乐处",所谓"执两"(一始一终)而"用中"(度的把握),才是中国儒家得以全球化的"普世智慧"!

Amid the recent global upsurge of studies on the philosophy of emotion, a reinterpretation of traditional Confucian philosophy, especially Mencius＇s ideas on the siduan （Four Original Sources） of morality, may shed new light on the subject in comparative philosophy. This paper probes the structure of moral feeling and reason described by Mencius＇s from five perspectives： （1） In view of the relationship between feeling and reason, is it better to use the expression ＂siduan＂ or the expression ＂sixin （Four Heart-minds）＂？ （2） In view of dispositional feeling, what are the four original sources？ （3） In view of moral feeling, what are the structural order of the four sources and the corresponding procedure of reasoning of four heart-minds of Humanity？ （4） In view of positive feeling, how does moral feeling grow out of the goodness of human nature？ （5） What is the global value of Mencius＇s ideas on human moral feeling？ The author concludes that Mencius＇s thought on moral feeing has a global value and cross-cultural significance, and that Chinese wisdom is more than regional but universally applicable. The structure of moral feeling and reason that Mencius identifies is in accordance with the principles of zhiliang （grasping the two poles of the beginning and the end） and yongzhong （emloying the middle）. The principles of zhiliang and yongzhong are true universal wisdoms of Confucianism, which should be rekindled today. From a practical point of view, ＂the Way begins from moral feelings;＂ and Confucius and Yan Hui＇s seeking the simple, virtuous life is an ideal model of emotional well-being.