왕수인이 제시한 立志論의 도덕교육적 해석

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to clarify the moral educational significance of the theory of Ipji(立志論) proposed by Wang Shouren(王守仁) as a means of establishing the existential sense of purpose of students living in modern society. To this end, this study first examined the continuity and discontinuity between Wang Shouren’s theory of Ipji and the theories of Ipji of the previous Confucian scholars, and derived three characteristics of Wang Shouren’s theory of Ipji. ① First, he divided Ipji into two dimensions: the narrow meaning of ‘the study that first establishes the will to become a saint(聖人)’ and the broad meaning of ‘the process of learning itself to continuously maintain the established will throughout life.’ ② Second, as a supplementary measure to maintain the sustainability of what has been established, he advocated ‘Chaekji(責志)’, which is a self-cultivation that seeks to eliminate human desires(人欲) through Yangji(良知). ③ Third, the content of Ipji is assumed to be a saint, but it is assumed that the study of being a saint is no different from Joncheonligeoin-yog(存天理去人欲), and the perception(知覺) of the principles of nature and mankind through the Yangji is emphasized. Next, based on the three characteristics of Wang Shouren’s theory of Ipji derived above, the moral educational significance of his theory of Ipji is examined as follows. ① First, Ipji is a series of processes of establishing an ‘existential sense of purpose’ and further pursuing it ‘throughout one’s life. This Ipji cultivation is similar to Grit in that it pursues a goal ‘long-term’ throughout one’s life and tries to pursue the goal ‘tenaciously’ without giving up even when faced with trials or hardships. However, while Grit aims for external success, Ipji focuses on the realization of the inner existence of a humane life. ② Second, Chaekji plays the role of ‘moral motivation’ in the process of achieving what is established, overcoming the weakness of will and continuously pursuing moral values. This is done by a mechanism that suppresses the desire by reprimanding the intention by sensitively perceiving the desire through the spiritual perception ability of the Yangji when the desire occurs. At this time, the ‘sincerity(誠)’ of not deceiving the Yangji, the moral subject, can be compared with the moral self model of A. Blasi explained that moral motivation arises from the need to maintain self-consistency and to act in alignment with one’s moral self. ③ Finally, Wang Shouren assumes a saint as a realistically achievable goal, thereby overcoming the students’ difficulty in understanding adults and making them recognize themselves as beings with the potential to become a saint.