浅析孟荀心论之异

An Analysis of the Differences between Meng and Xun’s Theory of Mind

摘要: 孟子是先秦第一位彰显心论的思想家，他的思考实际上是为了探究人之为人的本质。荀子则从认知、主宰、道德三个方面扩展了心的涵义，分别将心界定为人类的认知能力、思维的统合能力以及道德取向的判断能力。关于孟荀心论之同，在于二者都承认心的认识、作用和道德能力。本文侧重于孟荀心论之异的研究，认为就心的性质而言，孟子是用来解释道德主体的动力和目的，而荀子是用来解释认知主体的工具性能力；就心的修养而言，孟子讨论的是主观的道德自觉，荀子分析的是客观的认知结构；就心的归宿而言，孟子在其中找到了人的主体性根基，而荀子在这里发现了人对于社会的功能性作用。

Abstract: Mencius was the first pre-Qin thinker who manifested the theory of the heart, and his thinking was actually aimed at inquiring into the nature of man as a human being. Xunzi, on the other hand, expanded the meaning of the heart in terms of cognition, mastery, and morality, defining the heart as the cognitive capacity of human beings, the unifying capacity of thinking, and the judgmental capacity of moral orientation, respectively. The similarity between Meng and Xun’s theories of the heart lies in the fact that both recognize the cognitive, functional, and moral capacities of the heart. Focusing on the differences between Meng and Xun’s theories of the heart, this paper argues that as far as the nature of the heart is concerned, Mengzi uses it to explain the motivation and purpose of the moral subject, while Xunzi uses it to explain the instrumental capacity of the cognitive subject; as far as the cultivation of the heart is concerned, Mengzi discusses subjective moral self-awareness, while Xunzi analyzes the objective cognitive structure; and as far as the fate of the heart is concerned, Mengzi finds in it the root of human subjectivity, while Xunzi discovers the the functional role of man for society.