论儒家义利思想的逻辑体系及其意义

一般人们往往以现代西方伦理学的尺度武断地将儒家义利观认定为重义轻利的义利观。其实传统儒家义利观是不断“与时进焉” ,不断演进和丰富的体系。可以从两个层面理解儒家义利观体系 ,即 :本体论层面和价值论层面。在道德本质上 ,它坚持了道义主体论倾向 ,逻辑表述为 :义为利之本 ,义重利轻 ,义以建利 ,义利统一。就价值而言 ,个体人在现实中所面对纷争进行正确选择应具备的道德素质是基础性应用价值 ;更重要的社会价值在于政治伦理意义上 ,要求统治者施行“仁政”。传统儒家义利观 ,经过不断演进 ,通过有效解决现实世界利益冲突形成道德观念体系和操作原则 ,成为中国主流义利观 ,并对后世产生深远影响。

On Logic System of the Confucian Thoughts on Justice-Benefit and Its Significance

People always hold the viewpoints of modern Western ethics to draw an arbitrary conclusion that the justice benefit value in Confucianism is an outlook of "value justice above material gains." Indeed, it is traditionally a system enriched with the times and evolutions. Thus, we can judge it from two perspectives: ontology and axiology. In the essence of ethics, the justice benefit value in Confucianism embraces the subject theory of morality and justice, illustrating the following relationships: justice is the foundation of benefit, the priority over benefit, the standard of benefit, and the unity with benefit. In terms of value, the basic application value is embodied by the moral qualities of individuals when they make right choices in practical conflicts. To be more important, the social meaning of Confucian justice benefit value lies in its political ethics which requires the ruler should apply a policy of benevolence. Therefore, after a lasting evolution and its efficient solutions to interest conflicts in the real world, this Confucian value has formed a set of moral systems and operation principles, prevailing in China and exerting a far reaching influence over our future generations.