儒学能为21世纪新生态文化提供何种思想资源
摘要: 儒家思想可以对21世纪新生态文化的建构提供贡献。儒家生态思想有三个关键命题:“万物并育而不相害”,“天地以生物为心者也”,“大人者,以天下万物为一体者也”。潜藏在这三大命题之中的是五个核心价值理念:和谐,和解,天人合一,联系性思维,以及有机体论。在儒家思想中,“人”与“自然”之关系在于连续性而不是断裂性,在于“人”与“自然”的一体性。儒家思想中的“仁”学,以及以分享、包容、同情、责任作为核心价值的母性思维(maternal thinking),在建构新生态文化中具有关键地位。
What Confucianism Can Contribute to an Ecological Culture
- Available Online:
2023-01-20
Abstract: This article aims at envisioning the contemporary relevance of Confucianism to the new ecological culture in the 21st century. Before I make two remarks pertaining to the potential contribution Confucianism can make to a new ecological culture in the 21st century, I point out 3 key statements in the ecological thinking of Confucianism, namely, (1) “All things are produced and developed without injuring one another.” (the Doctrine of Mean, 30), (2) “The mind of Heaven and Earth is to produce things.” (A Treatise on Jen), (3) “The great men regards Heaven and Earth and the myriad things as one body.” (Inquiry on the Great Learning). I argue that there are two things that Confucianism may contribute to the making of a new ecological culture. The first is the Confucian belief in “homo-cosmic continuum” that regards the relation between humans and Nature as a continuity rather than a rupture. The second idea Confucianism may contribute to a new ecological culture in our century lies in its monistic view that both Man and Nature share an essential ingredient in common, namely, ren (仁, benevolence, humanity). In conclusion, the maternal thinking in the Confucian tradition has illuminated for us a way leading to the true reconciliation between humans and Nature in the 21st century and beyond.