荀子性论的二维世界

对荀子性论的研究,历来重视从价值判断的层面切入,把他作为古代性恶论的代表,其实这是重表而疏里的表现,因为它忽视了事实判断层面上何谓本性的问题。正是在这一点上,荀子把性规定为"生之所以然",明确地把人从其他类属中区别出来,而且把先秦人性的思考从经验形下的层面,拉到了理性形上的高度。在价值判断的平台上,荀孟性论在本质上并没有什么不同,相异的只是逻辑起点:孟子的逻辑起点在人性的真性部分,重视的是先天性,理想性;荀子的逻辑起点在人性的伪性层面,重视的是后天性,现实性。

The Duality of Xun Zi's Nature Doctrine

The studies of Xun Zi's nature doctrine have always stressed on the perspective of value judgment and regarded him as the representative of ancient nature doctrine. As a matter of fact, this stressed on the surface and devalued the internal matter instead, since it ignored the question of what is nature from the perspective of fact judgment. It was with this point of view that Xun Zi defined nature as "inborn", clearly separating human being from other categories. Furthermore, he took the thought on human nature in the Pre - Qin Dynasty from the experiential level to the rational one. As far as value judgment is concerned, there was no essential difference between Xun Zi and Mencius on nature doctrine. The only difference lies in the logical starting point, in which Mencius' is embodied in the truth part, valued on inborn nature and idealization, while Xun Zi's is included in the hypocritical level, valued on postnatal nature and reality.