韩非子继承了荀子的性恶论?——师承问题的一个案例研究

Did Hanfeizi Inherit Xunzi’s Theory of the Badness of Human Nature?——A Case Study of Intellectual Lineage

学界一个流行的观点是从荀子与韩非子的师生关系出发,来论证二者性恶论的传承。然而,在思想史研究上,二者的师生关系的证据,并不很充分。更重要的是,师生关系本身并不足以支持师承关系。后者还需要以二者思想近似为前提。上述流行观点,有在师承关系与思想近似二者间循环论证之嫌。就哲学上的人性论之比较而言,虽然学界对荀子持性恶论还是其他人性观有争议,但是持不同立场的学者都同意,荀子认为无分则乱,并要通过化性起伪来止乱。与此相对,韩非子承认人有质朴的一面,他也承认靠这种质朴自然而然地达到人类和平相处的可能性。这都与荀子不同,而与《老子》呼应。但韩非子又认为,这种质朴的人性无法抵御物质匮乏的挑战。面对这种争和乱,韩非子否定包括荀子在内的儒家所推崇的道德培养的有效性和必要性,而强调因顺人情。这又与黄老的立场更接近。因此,在人性论上,韩非子的思想更近黄老,而与荀子有关键区别。

It is commonly argued that,given the master-disciple relation between Xunzi and Hanfeizi,they naturally share the view of human nature that human beings are born to be bad.In this paper,I will argue that in terms of intellectual history,the evidence for the master-disciple relation between the two is not adequate.More importantly,this relation is different from the relation of intellectual lineage,and the latter needs to presuppose the similarities of thought between the alleged master and the disciple.The aforementioned common view actually commits the mistake of circular argument between intellectual lineage and similarities of thought.On the theory of human nature,although there are debates about how to characterize Xunzi’s view,it is commonly agreed that Xunzi believed that human beings in their“natural state”would inevitably quarrel and fight with each other.This is why we need to use moral cultivation,led by the sages,to eliminate the disorder.In contrast,Hanfeizi actually acknowledged the innocence and even the goodness of human beings,and this goodness is sufficient for the existence of order under certain circumstances.These ideas are clearly different from Xunzi’s,and are in line with the Laozi.But Hanfeizi also argued that this inborn goodness is too fragile to resist the challenge of material scarcity.Facing disorder under scarcity,Hanfeizi rejected the effectiveness and necessity of moral cultivation,which was advocated by early Confucians,Xunzi included,as a response to disorder.Instead,he argued that we should follow the fact of human affairs,a view in line with the so-called Huang-Lao school.Therefore,in terms of theory of human nature,Hanfeizi is close to Huang-Lao,and is sharply different from Xunzi.