中西人性论的冲突:近代来华传教士与孟子性善论

近代来华传教士以基督教教义为评判尺度，对儒学人性论尤其是孟子的性善论进行了广泛的讨论。他们认为，性善论主张人只能依靠自身进行道德完善，这种典型的人文主义思想不仅排斥宗教信仰，而且容易导致对道德真理采取实用理性的态度。传教士们的批评意见既表现了一种宗教偏见，也展示了中西思想在此问题上的实质性的歧异与冲突。

Conflict between Chinese and Western of Human or Nature

Using Christian doctrines as the yardstick, foreign missionaries in China in modern times conducted extensive discussions on the Confucian theory of human nature, especially Mencius' theory of original goodness of human nature. In their view, Mencius' theory claims that man can perfect his morality only by himself, and this typical humanistic conception not only rejects religious belief but also tends to lead to a practical and rational attitude toward moral truth. The criticism made by these missionaries reveals their religious prejudice and manifests fundamental differences and conflicts between Chinese and Western ideas