华东师范大学学报(教育科学版) ›› 2016, Vol. 34 ›› Issue (1): 98-103.doi: 10.16382/j.cnki.1000-5560.2016.01.014

• 中外教育史 • 上一篇    下一篇

论孟子人格教育思想的主体精神

叶飞   

  1. 教育部人文社科重点研究基地南京师范大学道德教育研究所, 江苏 南京 210097
  • 出版日期:2016-03-15 发布日期:2016-03-31
  • 通讯作者: 叶飞
  • 作者简介:叶飞
  • 基金资助:

    基金项目:江苏“2011计划”:基础教育人才培养模式协同创新中心研究;江苏高校优势学科建设工程资助项目。

The Subjective Spirit of Mencius’ Thought on Character Education

YE Fei   

  1. Institute of Moral Education, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210097, Jiangsu, China
  • Online:2016-03-15 Published:2016-03-31
  • Contact: YE Fei
  • About author:YE Fei

摘要: 孟子人格教育思想中是否内含着主体精神元素,这在学术界一直存在着争议。本文以此问题为出发点,并通过文本诠释法和历史分析法对《孟子》原典及其所蕴含的思想理念展开了学术探究。研究结果显示,在人性观上,孟子超越了孔子“性相近、习相远”的模糊表述,旗帜鲜明地强调人在本性上具有“良知”和“良能”,具有成为道德主体的可能性和现实性;在道德修养方法上,孟子不仅继承了孔子的道德内省修身理论,同时还进一步强调了人作为主体的“道德挺立”;在道德意志上,孟子超越了孔子关于道德意志探讨的零散性和非系统性,全面系统地阐释了道德意志的内涵,强调人的坚忍不拔的道德意志品质;在道德行为上,孟子并未止步于孔子所树立的谦谦君子的行为规范,而是主张培育正道而行的“大丈夫”,捍卫社会道义和正义秩序。由此观之,孟子人格教育思想中的主体精神是异常恢宏而壮阔的,非常值得我们去分析和借鉴。

Abstract: In the academic community of Mencius research, the question whether Mencius’ thought on Character education includes the element of subjective spirit is very controversial. Some scholars believe that Mencius was only a thinker who lived in the absolute monarchy. So, Mencius actually did not have the consciousness of democracy and subjective spirit. He was a thinker ruled by the absolute monarchy and emperor, and his academic idea was also controlled by the absolute monarchy and emperor. In a word, Mencius did not have the democratic idea or subjective spirit in his life, neither in his books. However, other scholars believe that Mencius’ idea about political construction and character education involved profound concepts of humanism and human-based thought. Although Mencius was not a democratic, but he advocated the respect for human nature and personal dignity in the framework of Confucianism. Therefore, there existed subjective spirit in Mencius’ thought on character education. But, what’s the essence of Mencius’ idea? Did Mencius advocate moral subjectivity or not? This paper begins with this controversial question. Using the methodologies of text interpretation and historical analysis, it analyzes the masterpiece Mencius and its academic ideas. Based on the comprehensive analysis of the classical book and impressive idea, the author argues that Mencius’ thought on character education focused on subjectivity, which advanced the Pre-Qin Confucianism’s humanitarian spirit to a new height. We can look at the great contributions of Mencius and his ideas from four aspects. First, Mencius thought that everyone had natural morality and natural moral ability to be a subjective moral personality. And, everyone can be a subjective moral personality. His theory of human nature transcends Confucius’ , which is unclear. Second, in terms of the methods of self-cultivation, Mencius put emphasis not only on Confucius’ idea about self-reflection, but on the self-cultivation of moral courage and sense of justice. Third, in terms of the moral will, Mencius emphasized the cultivation of people’s strong moral will through daily life and moral life. His idea is more profound and systematic than Confucius’. Fourth, Mencius not only advocated the moral action of gentleman (Jun Zi), but also the real man personality, which can defend the social morality and justice. In a word, Mencius’s thought on character education was beyond the limit of his time and space. It involves abundant sprit of subjectivity, which deserves more examination.