中国传统伦理思想中的“理”、“欲”关系论

作为伦理范畴的“理”、“欲”有一个生成过程,并历经了内涵不一的变化。在“理”、“欲”关系演变中,这些是值得关注的:第一,“欲以理节”是贯穿于中国伦理思想史的解决“理”、“欲”关系的主导性观念;第二,“理出于欲中”是显示了“理”、“欲”真实关系的重要命题;第三,对“欲”的歧视性态度是中国传统伦理思想史中值得警惕的极为负面的主张;第四,“理”、“欲”关系在空间上应该是相互渗透的;第五,由“视欲为恶”到“以理制欲”,再到“以欲生理”。这种“理”、“欲”关系的演变,所表征的是道德价值观念的改变,也基本上是一种积极的改变。

On the Relation between Principles and Desires of Chinese Traditional Ethics Thought

We should pay more attention to the following five viewpoints in the development of the relation between principles and desires.Firstly,desires can be controlled by priciples,this is the guiding viewpoint to solve the problem between principles and desires of the history of Chinese traditional ethics;Secondly,principles comes from the desires,this is the important proposition explaining the relation between principles and desires;Thirdly,we should keep alert to the negative view which looks down upon the desires of the history of Chinese traditional ethics;Forthly,principles and desires can interpenetrate in space,in other words,the the moral principle exists in people's life,it is not the barren rule which breaks away from people's life but comes from it and rule it and they can interpenetrate,as a result,the moral principle is full of vitality;Fifthly,there is an evolutional process of the relation betweem principles and desires from regarding desires as evil to controlling desires by principles and to cultivating principles from desires.This process indicates a kind of change of ethical values and the change is positive.