荀子理论中的道德根源探析

An Exploration of the Moral Source in Xunzi’s Theory

摘要: 虽然荀子没有明确地论述有关道德根源的问题，但通过排除法可以发现，荀子所认为的道德是没有任何“天”的因素的，其根源只在人之自身。而荀子的理论体系中人是心性是两分的：性是人类的自然活动及其倾向，也是人类追求欲望和利益的根源；心则是人对天的自然面和必然面的认识与超越，即心之征知和主宰。所以心也是道德的原动力，具有道德主体的地位。而道德根源正是由性与心两者共同构成的：心是道德产生的动力与形式，性是道德产生的内容与目的。

Abstract: Although Xunzi did not explicitly discuss the issue of the source of morality, through the process of elimination, it can be discovered that, unlike Mencius, who believed that morality originated from the moral heaven, Xunzi saw morality as completely divorced from any heavenly factors and attributed its source to humanity itself. In Xunzi’s theoretical system, humanity is divided into natrue and mind: nature refers to humans’ natural tendencies and activities, as well as the reason of humans’ pursuit of desires and interests; while mind represents humans’ cognition and transcendence of the natural and inevitable aspects of heaven, namely the cognitive faculty and the domination. Therefore, the mind is also the driving force of morality and holds the status of the moral subject. The origin of morality is jointly constituted by both nature and mind: the mind serves as the motive force and form of moral production, while nature constitutes the content and goal of moral production.