性善论的古今解释模式与判断类型

That Human Nature Is Good: Eight Views and Ten Judgments

古今中外的学者们在解释孟子性善论时,自觉或不自觉地建立了多种解释模式,大体有心善说、善端说、向善说、可善说、有善说、人禽说、天命说、总体说等8种。心善说认为孟子所谓的"性善"指心善;善端说认为性善指人性有善端;向善说认为性善指人性有向善趋势;可善说认为性善指人性可以为善;有善说指人性中有善(不排除也有恶);人禽说认为性善指人性相对于兽性为善;天命说认为性善指天命之性为善;总体说认为性善指人性从总体上为善。与此同时,孟子的后世解释者往往先预设了性善论建立于某种判断之上,然后对性善论展开讨论或批判,他们所预设的判断类型有如下5组10种:(1)先天判断/后天判断;(2)本质判断/特征判断;(3)全称判断/特称判断;(4)比较判断/总体判断;(5)价值判断/事实判断等。先天判断认为性善指人的先天属性为善,后天判断认为性善指人的后天属性为善;本质判断认为性善指人的本质属性为善,特征判断认为性善指人的现象特征为善;全称判断认为性善指人性全部内容皆善,特称判断认为性善指人性部分内容为善;总体判断从人性内部总体关系理解性善,比较判断从人性与禽兽比较关系理解性善;事实判断认为性善指人性事实上是善的,价值判断认为性善指人性依某价值标准是善的。这些判断类型中,特称判断、本质判断、总体判断、比较判断皆不排除人性中可能有恶,但仍可得出人性善的结论。本文在介绍这些解释模式和判断类型的同时也讨论了其优劣及问题,搞清这些对于全面总结前人解释孟子性善论的得失很有必要。

In interpreting Mencius＇s theory that human nature is good, scholars have proposed, consciously or unconsciously, many different views throughout more than 2000 years, of which about 8 typical views are as below： （1） the good heart view, interpreting the so-called good human nature as based on a good heart; （2） the good sprout view, interpreting the so-called good human nature as based on moral sprouts; （3） the good direction view, interpreting the so-called good human nature as with good direction; （4） the good-possibility view, interpreting the so- called good human nature as possibly good; （5） the good part view, interpreting the so-called good human nature as partly good; （6） the human-beast distinction view, interpreting the so-called good human nature as based on human- beast distinction; （7） the Heavenly-decree view, interpreting the so-called good human nature as from Heaven＇s decree; （8） the general view, interpreting the so-called good human nature as generally good. Moreover, scholars often assume, consciously or unconsciously, one of 10 types of judgment as the theoretical basis of the view that human nature is good ： （ 1 ） the a priori judgment that human nature is a priori good ; （ 2 ） the posterior judgment that human nature is empirically good ; （ 3 ） the essence judgment that human nature is essentially good; （4） the phenomenon judgment that human nature is phenomenologically good; （5） the comprehensive judgment that human nature is completely good ; （6） the particular judgment that human nature is partly good ; （7） the general judgment that human nature is generally good ; （ 8 ） the comparative judgment that human nature is relatively good （ in comparison with animals） ; （9） the value judgment that human nature is good according to a man-made criterion; （10） the factual judgment that human nature is factually good. A review of these views （interpretations） and judgment assumptions would help clarify the logical basis of Mencius＇s theory that human nature is good.