教育是成人之学——钱穆理解教育本质的整体进路

Education Is to Make People Growing as People—— the Overall Approach of Qian Mu's Understanding of Essence of Education

教育是成人之学,这是钱穆论教育的基本命题,也是钱穆对教育本质的基本规定。此种理解,遵循的是教育人文学的整体进路,即将教育理解为人的活动,从人与人性的高度来理解教育本质,而不是从教育现象来归纳教育本质。这一基本命题由三层进路构成:认识论进路是指以理解人为目的,而形成的体→性→用的认识进路;结构性进路是指在教与育的关系上,以育为中心;人性论进路则是儒家情理型的人性论进路,以身为体、生为命、心为道,是身、心、生三者的和谐统一。通过三层进路,钱穆深层阐释了教育的本质和教育人文学的重要意义:教育是唤醒与呵护,是参赞与助成,是凝聚与化成,是社会事业的根基和一切学问的中心。

Education is to make people growing as people,which is the basic proposition of Qian Mu＇s theory of education and it is also Qian Mu＇s definition of the essence of education. This understanding has followed the overall approach of humanity education that consider education as people＇s activities. It consists of three approaches： In order to understand human, the epistemology is approach from the essence to nature to utility. The structural approach is approach which takes the gestation as the center between education and gestation. The approach of the theory of human nature is the human nature of Confucianism, which takes the body as essence, takes life as mission, takes heart as road, and so it is a harmonious unity of the body, heart and life. Through the three approach,Qian Mu has further explained the essence of education and the significance of Humanities education： Education is the activity of awakening and care, counselor and contributory, condensation and formation. It is the foundation of social work and the center of all learning.