율곡의 윤리사상에 관한 북한의 선행연구 비판적 고찰

Abstract

In this thesis, the previous study on Yulgok’s ethical ideas in North Korea was critically examined, and the possibility that the North and South Korean researchers can develop Yulgok studies together was explored. In the precedent studies in North Korea, Yulgok’s ethical ideas have been evaluated as practical and progressive, and there have been some noticeable changes of raising Yulgok’s theory of moral cultivation from a new view point. Yet, they have the problems that they lack a logic system, for example, discussing the theory of human nature that forms the theoretical foundation of Yulgok’s ethical thought as Bonyeongijililseong theory(本然氣質一性論), and therefore using the perspective of the nature mixed with that of disposition, and also interpreting it from the political standpoint of a class struggle. In addition, while discussing Yulgok’s ethical theory about human mind and moral mind(人心道心), the natural principleand human desires(天理人欲), North Korean researchers have had problems of estimating it politically by mixing the concepts of a body’s wants(欲), human mind(人心) and human greed(人慾), or interpreting it arbitrarily without separating out different meanings of stopping greed(窒慾) and little greed(寡欲). Yet, the attitude of discussing and developing the problem of the nature of human mind or moral good and evil from the level of personal morality to that of social ethics when discussing Yulgok’s ethical idea has implication. In particular, it can be evaluated as an excellent opinion that when North Korean researchers suggested a moral self-cultivation theory guaranteeing the practicality of Yulgok’s ethical thoughts, they expanded the meaning of setting an aim in life(立志) as the study to reform the society, and developed the logic of the study as the study to proceed(推行) from the political affairs(政事). South Korean researchers may not be able to sympathize with the North Korean researchers' politically biased interpretation of Confucian ethical thoughts themselves since Confucius from the standpoint of a class struggle. However, North Korean researchers' academic improvement who have examined the moral meanings of Naeseong(內聖) of Yulgok’s neo-Confuncianist study theory from the viewpoint of Oewang(外王) can be said to have the possibility for North and South Korean researchers to study together.