社会·思想·传统:孟子性善论的具体提出

Society, Thought, and Tradition: The Concrete Proposal of Mencius' Theory of the Innate Goodness in Human Nature

处于战国时期的孟子,深入探讨了人性论题,积极倡导性善说,并不是纯粹的思辨考证,而是具有很强的现实针对性。孟子的性善思想中,有对现实社会的深切关怀,此为其面向社会的维度;有对杨、墨之异端思想和其它人性论观点的激烈批判,此为其面向思想的维度;同时也有援引经典的方法论,此为其面向传统和经典的维度。总之,孟子的性善论不应仅作抽象的理解,也当历史地具体地解读。

During the Warring States Period, Mencius explored human nature and advocated the theory of human goodness, which was not a pure speculative criticism but had practical relevance. Mencius＇ theory shows Mencius＇ deep concern of the society as its social dimension; his intense criticism on the heresies of YANG Zhu and MO Di and other human nature theories as its thinking dimension; his methodology by cit- ing classics as its dimension of focusing on tradition and classics. Mencius＇ theory of innate goodness in human nature should not only be taken as an abstract theory but a significant historic piece of work.