浅析朱熹与王阳明“格物致知”论的差异

A Brief Analysis of the Differences between Zhu Xi and Wang Yangming’s Theories of “Investigating Things to Acquire Knowledge”

摘要: “格物致知”是中国哲学史上一个重要的理论概念，出自《礼记·大学》。自汉唐至宋明清，儒学思想家结合社会背景对其作出多维度诠释，彰显各自特定的哲学思想，其中朱熹与王阳明的诠释最具代表性。朱熹以理学“理本体论”为基础，主张“即物穷理”，通过探究外部事物、理性积累贯通“天理”；王阳明植根心学“心即理”立场，以“致良知”为核心，主张“格物即格心”，侧重内心道德与情感的自觉。本文通过诠释并详细分析二人对“格物致知”的理解，比较二者认知差异。二者观点虽体现所处时代的不同侧重，反映出不同的认识论与本体论，但均与个人道德修养密切相关，彰显中国古代哲学史的特质，其相关思想对自我道德修养具有深远意义。

Abstract: “Investigating things to acquire knowledge” is an important theoretical concept in the history of Chinese philosophy, originating from “The Book of Rites: The Great Learning”. From the Han and Tang dynasties to the Song, Ming, and Qing dynasties, Confucian thinkers provided multidimensional interpretations of it in conjunction with social backgrounds, highlighting their specific philosophical thoughts. Among them, the interpretations of Zhu Xi and Wang Yangming are the most representative. Zhu Xi, based on the “principle ontology” of Neo-Confucianism, advocated “investigating things to explore principles”, through which he explored external things and rationally accumulated and comprehended “heavenly principles”; Wang Yangming, rooted in the position of “mind is principle” in the philosophy of mind, centered on “attaining conscience”, advocating “investigating things is to investigate the mind”, emphasizing the self-awareness of inner morality and emotions. This paper interprets and analyzes in detail the understanding of “Investigating things to acquire knowledge” by the two scholars, comparing their cognitive differences. Although their views reflect different emphases in their respective eras and reflect different epistemologies and ontologies, they are closely related to personal moral cultivation, highlighting the characteristics of ancient Chinese philosophy. Their related thoughts have profound significance for self-moral cultivation.