유가철학 사유 해설 구성의 방법론적 전환 - 주희와 왕수인 철학 사유 전개를 중심으로 -

Abstract

This study aims to attempt a “methodological conversion in the organization of explanations for Confucian reasoning based on the development of philosophical reasoning by Zhu Xi and Wang Shouren.” I selected this topic from my contemplation over “the characteristics of Joseon’s Neo-Confucianism that discussed all the issues including the theory of the mind and moral acts by returning them to the theory of Li and Qi.” There are explanations for the causes behind the development of Joseon’s Neo-Confucianism in this pattern in various aspects. I believe that one of the representative ones is very closely related to the books on Zhu Xi studies imported from late Goryeo to early and middle Joseon. It is my judgment that the progress of this scholarship produced more adverse effects than positive ones. Three of them generated the most severe harmful effects. First, there is a big risk that practice-centered Confucianism with a desire for the life of the sage could fall to intellectualist idealism. Secondly, Confucianism focused on the theory of Li and Qi could flow into the theory of duties easily by causing the reinforcement of the theory of causes easily. Finally, the moral-metaphysical studies of Confucianism could almost flow into metaphysical moral philosophy. The most important goal that I pursue is, however, to establish a new paradigm for Confucian research through the diversification of explanation channels. I highlighted the adverse effects that might appear in research systems and methodologies focused on ontology to emphasize the need for this research topic, but the methods will have more than negative effects. The approach of drawing a human view and cultivation theory from the metaphysical body and the theory of the mind has the advantage of conveying compatibility between categories in an obvious way. The advantages of distinguishing the boundary between categories clearly and forming connections between categories organically hold methodological usefulness that should not be neglected in academic research. When only this method is applied uniformly, it raises a risk of diminishing the original nature of action-line scholarship focused on practice. This is why I attempted the reinterpretation of overall Confucian reasoning through a cultivation theory. It is a way to secure diversity in reasoning methods by accepting the old research methods positively and proposing a new paradigm.