This thesis is aimed at studying the main content and characteristics of Mengzi's arguments. The author considers the key meaning implied in Mengzi's arguments in terms of human nature, self-culture and politics in an aspect of the content, and focuses on attitude, method and errors of Mengzi's argu...
This thesis is aimed at studying the main content and characteristics of Mengzi's arguments. The author considers the key meaning implied in Mengzi's arguments in terms of human nature, self-culture and politics in an aspect of the content, and focuses on attitude, method and errors of Mengzi's arguments in an aspect of the form. This is as follows. Disputing with Gaozi, Mengzi criticizes his opinion that human nature is neither good nor bad(性無善無不善論) and persists that human nature is good. In addition, Mengzi states that ren(仁) is inherent in human nature and so is yi(義), which does not flow in from outside and change an innate character. In this manner, Mengzi emphasizes that moral judgements and behaviors stem from inherence of human nature by insisting on the immanentism of ren and yi(仁義內在論). Mengzi identifies the grounds for inherence of moral nature and emphasizes universality of human nature based on the fact that if a kid fells into a well, everyone feels compassion for him. From this, his arguments are found to be consistent, for they become logical grounds for Wang dao politics(王道政治) whose reign is based on ren, yi, li and zhi(仁義禮智). Basically Mengzi has a affirmative belief in human moral nature. Mengzi's view of human is connected with a belief that humans can become an ideal one. Mengzi states that Humans are divided into a good man(善人) and a bad man(惡人), and into a noble man and a mean man by whether a human has innate moral nature. Therefore, he lays a emphasis on the necessity and justifiability of self-culture. Mengzi suggests the method of self-culture in detail. The methods are fan zhi(反之) that perceives and preserves the inherent moral will, jin xin(盡心) that lets the four sprouts(四端), human innate morality, completely realized, gua yu(寡慾) without biological desires, hao ran zhi qi(浩然之氣) through collecting righteousness(集義) accumulated with the endless efforts for ren yi(仁義), and an expansion of the mind by cultivating qi(養氣). Such a moral expansion is concluded by Mengzi to boost their own personality and realize the ideal society. He states that as the consequence of the self-culture, humans acquire knowing language(知言) or a discernment of a language, and unperturbed mind(不動心) or the firm moral will on the stage of completing personality. In addition, he also insists on acquiring the real delight(悅樂) of life. Mengzi's politics is developed based on his opinion about human nature as stated above. That is, the meaning of Mengzi's argument and the prerequisite of wang dao(王道) are human's inherence and universality of goodness, being a moral ideal one by realizing human nature in their own life, and furthermore realization of the ideal society with these ideas. Especially Mengzi's argument about politics is involved in recognizing the situation of the time. The day was when external honor and goods were valued much more than the sanctity of life, and when the rule of might was prevalent more than the morality of ren yi (仁義). Considering such a situation of the day, he highlights that each nation or feudal lord should keep ren yi(仁義) rather than pursue profits. He develops wang dao politics(王道), asserting that good politics(仁政) is more effective to realize a wealthy country and a powerful army than tyranny. With this idea of the politics developed, Mengzi clarifies the people is a base of politics. He also insists that the prerequisite for building an ideal nation is the importance of politics for the people, taking actions like stabilizing life and lowering tax. Furthermore, Mengzi suggests the ideal method of turning over the reins of government. The key point of his method is based on ren yi(仁義) and min ben(民本). This is a logical standard for legitimacy of revolution against the immoral king. Mengzi's min ben(民本) and gui min idea(貴民思想) valuing the people are very valuable in that they are the ideal society of politics and culture that he feels like building through his argument with many feudal lords, and the base of democracy today. Mengzi, the great representative of Confucianism, persuades feudal lords and refutes many opponents, teaches pupils, and illuminates audience, showing his special feature of good speech. His attitude shown in this process of the argument is as follows. First, he keeps his upright argument attitude with magnificent and lively spirits, not intimidated in front of the power. Second, when he debates with scholars and eloquent speakers, he doesn't deny or refute their opinions from the first and after agreeing with them, he develops his opinion and dialectically sublates the two different opinions in the long run. Third, during arguments with his pupils, he takes calm and logical attitudes. Moreover, Mengzi uses various kinds of argument methods and techniques to strengthen his persuasive power. First, he agrees to the other's opinion at first and refutes his opinion later. Second, he releases the other with his techniques to begin with and drives him step by step. Third, he easily expresses his opinion with an abundant and fitting comparison. Fourth, he strengthens his argument with techniques like inference, link and rhyming. Fifth, he improves his persuasive power with quotation and allegory. Mengzi is complimented now that there is no more powerful, elegant, logical and profound one like 『Mengzi』 than any other classic, but there are some errors found in his argument. First, he develops his opinion, not clarifying the category of meaning of the terms. Second, his argument occasionally has insufficient grounds and flows into the arbitrary inference. Third, his argument is beside the point because of wrong comparison. In this manner, the author has considered the structure and characteristics of Mengzi's argument. Mengzi tried to find out what the essence of human nature is by arguing with the contemporary feudal lords and thinkers and realize the desirable human character and ideal society based on this. In the process, Mengzi occasionally revealed logical problems unconvincing even in the modern science. However, his intense spirit deserves to be appreciated highly, for despite the contemporary situation when the moral value and the spirit of the age were destroyed, he tried to enhance human value and create the ideal politics and culture based on ren yi and morality. In addition, Mengzi's spirit deserves to be a subject of a study to scholars and a model of self-examination to ordinary people, considering our society where political and social morality fades away.
This thesis is aimed at studying the main content and characteristics of Mengzi's arguments. The author considers the key meaning implied in Mengzi's arguments in terms of human nature, self-culture and politics in an aspect of the content, and focuses on attitude, method and errors of Mengzi's arguments in an aspect of the form. This is as follows. Disputing with Gaozi, Mengzi criticizes his opinion that human nature is neither good nor bad(性無善無不善論) and persists that human nature is good. In addition, Mengzi states that ren(仁) is inherent in human nature and so is yi(義), which does not flow in from outside and change an innate character. In this manner, Mengzi emphasizes that moral judgements and behaviors stem from inherence of human nature by insisting on the immanentism of ren and yi(仁義內在論). Mengzi identifies the grounds for inherence of moral nature and emphasizes universality of human nature based on the fact that if a kid fells into a well, everyone feels compassion for him. From this, his arguments are found to be consistent, for they become logical grounds for Wang dao politics(王道政治) whose reign is based on ren, yi, li and zhi(仁義禮智). Basically Mengzi has a affirmative belief in human moral nature. Mengzi's view of human is connected with a belief that humans can become an ideal one. Mengzi states that Humans are divided into a good man(善人) and a bad man(惡人), and into a noble man and a mean man by whether a human has innate moral nature. Therefore, he lays a emphasis on the necessity and justifiability of self-culture. Mengzi suggests the method of self-culture in detail. The methods are fan zhi(反之) that perceives and preserves the inherent moral will, jin xin(盡心) that lets the four sprouts(四端), human innate morality, completely realized, gua yu(寡慾) without biological desires, hao ran zhi qi(浩然之氣) through collecting righteousness(集義) accumulated with the endless efforts for ren yi(仁義), and an expansion of the mind by cultivating qi(養氣). Such a moral expansion is concluded by Mengzi to boost their own personality and realize the ideal society. He states that as the consequence of the self-culture, humans acquire knowing language(知言) or a discernment of a language, and unperturbed mind(不動心) or the firm moral will on the stage of completing personality. In addition, he also insists on acquiring the real delight(悅樂) of life. Mengzi's politics is developed based on his opinion about human nature as stated above. That is, the meaning of Mengzi's argument and the prerequisite of wang dao(王道) are human's inherence and universality of goodness, being a moral ideal one by realizing human nature in their own life, and furthermore realization of the ideal society with these ideas. Especially Mengzi's argument about politics is involved in recognizing the situation of the time. The day was when external honor and goods were valued much more than the sanctity of life, and when the rule of might was prevalent more than the morality of ren yi (仁義). Considering such a situation of the day, he highlights that each nation or feudal lord should keep ren yi(仁義) rather than pursue profits. He develops wang dao politics(王道), asserting that good politics(仁政) is more effective to realize a wealthy country and a powerful army than tyranny. With this idea of the politics developed, Mengzi clarifies the people is a base of politics. He also insists that the prerequisite for building an ideal nation is the importance of politics for the people, taking actions like stabilizing life and lowering tax. Furthermore, Mengzi suggests the ideal method of turning over the reins of government. The key point of his method is based on ren yi(仁義) and min ben(民本). This is a logical standard for legitimacy of revolution against the immoral king. Mengzi's min ben(民本) and gui min idea(貴民思想) valuing the people are very valuable in that they are the ideal society of politics and culture that he feels like building through his argument with many feudal lords, and the base of democracy today. Mengzi, the great representative of Confucianism, persuades feudal lords and refutes many opponents, teaches pupils, and illuminates audience, showing his special feature of good speech. His attitude shown in this process of the argument is as follows. First, he keeps his upright argument attitude with magnificent and lively spirits, not intimidated in front of the power. Second, when he debates with scholars and eloquent speakers, he doesn't deny or refute their opinions from the first and after agreeing with them, he develops his opinion and dialectically sublates the two different opinions in the long run. Third, during arguments with his pupils, he takes calm and logical attitudes. Moreover, Mengzi uses various kinds of argument methods and techniques to strengthen his persuasive power. First, he agrees to the other's opinion at first and refutes his opinion later. Second, he releases the other with his techniques to begin with and drives him step by step. Third, he easily expresses his opinion with an abundant and fitting comparison. Fourth, he strengthens his argument with techniques like inference, link and rhyming. Fifth, he improves his persuasive power with quotation and allegory. Mengzi is complimented now that there is no more powerful, elegant, logical and profound one like 『Mengzi』 than any other classic, but there are some errors found in his argument. First, he develops his opinion, not clarifying the category of meaning of the terms. Second, his argument occasionally has insufficient grounds and flows into the arbitrary inference. Third, his argument is beside the point because of wrong comparison. In this manner, the author has considered the structure and characteristics of Mengzi's argument. Mengzi tried to find out what the essence of human nature is by arguing with the contemporary feudal lords and thinkers and realize the desirable human character and ideal society based on this. In the process, Mengzi occasionally revealed logical problems unconvincing even in the modern science. However, his intense spirit deserves to be appreciated highly, for despite the contemporary situation when the moral value and the spirit of the age were destroyed, he tried to enhance human value and create the ideal politics and culture based on ren yi and morality. In addition, Mengzi's spirit deserves to be a subject of a study to scholars and a model of self-examination to ordinary people, considering our society where political and social morality fades away.
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