Polemical Mission 1:Against Mozi, Laozi, and Zhuangzi. Wei 僞 ( deliberate efforts and constructions) cf. Wuwei 無爲 : (nonaction or non-striving) Polemical Mission 2: Against Mencius The Central Philosophical Themes the Human Realm versus the Natural Realm The role of human efforts versus tian ( 天 : Heaven or Nature) How to achieve values and humanity? Cf. Mencius strategy to prove that human nature is good: Spontaneity or Naturalness + Human efforts How to balance it: 揠苗助長 Q) On what ground to validate the veracity or trueness of human efforts or human constructions such as rituals? The Implication of the Thesis Human Nature is bad? The two levels: natural inclination / inborn guidance to right conduct / the potential to achieve moral perfection (such as moral intelligence) The Main Goal Order (cf. harmony) By Whom?
Chap. 1. An Exhortation to Learning ( 勸學 ) The opening phrase: 君子曰 : 學不可以已. 青 取之於藍, 而青於藍 ; 冰 水為之, 而寒於水 Compared to the Analects and the Mencius Orthodox Confucianism Not Xunzi says, but A Third Person Why does the Gentleman need to learn? What is the meaning of the Gentleman in the Xunzi? What does learning mean? How to do it? The Constituents of Learning Wood or metal / ink-line, or whetstone/ wheel, straight, or sharp / steaming and bending, straightening, sharpening
1. Wood, metal, or I 1 : pure materials or potential (to be bent, straightened, or sharpened) See the Gaozi s argument in Mencius 6A1. Contingent on and determined by the external? 2. ink-line or whetstone Method Rules, models, standards, etc: that with which to transform the self 3. wheel, straight, or sharp The goal, objective, or result of learning The standard to which I transform myself to conform 4. steaming and bending, straightening, sharpening The act of learning + The attitude of learning ( 一 ) Missing parts: I 2 as the main agent who practice learning the will and motivation to learn of I 2
Learning and Teaching Method: How and what to learn? 不聞先王之遺言, 不知學問之大也 Classics Why former kings? The consequence of learning? Or the motivation to learn? 生而同聲, 長而異俗, 教使之然也 Teaching Inborn qualities (human nature?): malleable Who teach? Who are the former kings?
The Method of Learning 2 吾嘗終日而思矣, 不如須臾之所學也 思 : Personal Pursuit of truths 學 : the following sentence 君子生非異也, 善假於物也 生 : inborn qualities or capacities (human nature?) What does things 物 refer to? 先王之遺言 The external Compared to the self! 假 : Making use of : 吾嘗終日而思矣, 不如須臾之所學也 A matter of efficiency or possibility? Self-Negation of Inherent Capacities in a sense, not complet ely
The Ultimate End of Learning What to expect from learning? 積善成德, 而神明自得, 聖心備焉 Learning to Become a Sage Becoming a man of perfection Not based on the inborn qualities, but as the ultimate consequence of learning Any difference from Mencius argument in terms of the ultimate end? Mencius 4B28: 舜人也, 我亦人也 About the self or human nature or inborn capacities The attitude of Learning 不舍 & 用心一 Cf. 學不可以已 Analects 8.7: 曾子曰 : 士不可以不弘毅, 任重而道遠 仁以為己任, 不亦重乎? 死而後已, 不亦遠乎? Any difference from Mencius argument? Sudden / Gradual Self-motivation
The curriculum and procedure of learning 學惡乎始? 惡乎終? Text Based: 其數則始乎誦經, 終乎讀禮 ; Purpose Based: 其義 (propriety) 則始乎為士, 終乎為聖人 誦經. 書 ( 先王之遺言 ), 詩, 春秋, 禮樂 Cf. 近其人 The effect of learning 君子之學也, 入乎耳, 著乎心, 布乎四體, 形乎動靜 入乎耳, 著乎心 : Meaning? External How about Mencius? From what Virtue and Way come from? External vs Internal / Autonomy vs Heteronomy 古之學者為己, 今之學者為人 君子之學也, 以美其身 ; 小人之學也, 以為禽犢 (a gift to another person) Same purpose; Different methods
The Proper Order or Priority in Learning 1. 近其人 : 青 取之於藍, 而青於藍 ; 冰 水為之, 而寒於水 2. 隆禮 Cf. 誦經. The attitude of Learning (once again!) 倫類不通, 仁義不一, 不足謂善學 學也者, 固學一之也 德操 使目非是無欲見也 In the Analects? Cf. 非禮勿視 及至其致好之也, 目好之五色 : the meaning? Transformation of inborn patterns of inclinations ( 生 ) 心利之有天下 What is this heart-and-mind, which can be transformed? What to change? 慮 What or who change? a moral agent outside the heart-mind 德操 Cf. Mencius s 不動心 and 浩然之氣 : 必有事焉而勿正, 心勿忘, 勿助長也, : The differences in the Method and Attitude of Learning and Cultivatio n?
A Mencian Counterargument. + the will to learn: steaming and bending / straightening / sharpening Where does it come from, if human nature is bad? + the intelligence to choose the right standard: Otherwise, how to know what is good and right to learn? I : Human Nature, Personal Disposition, Capacities (intelligence, moral sensitivity), Will to Learn Contents: What to learn? Or Learn from Whom? Autonomy vs Heteronomy Why needed? Deficiencies or Defects How about Mencius?
Learning and Teaching Who learn? Who teach? The relations to, and the intervention of, Political Authority Politico-moral leadership