장재의 신화(神化)론에 대한 생태철학적 독해

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to read the theory of Shen Transformation(神化) of Zhang Zai(張載) in ecological philosophy to disclose its implications by breaking away from erroneous critiques of the theory of Shen Transformation with the commercial and industrial view of nature. First of all, the theory of Shen Transformation means excellence of capability and method for the heaven, namely, the grand nature, to born and raise all objects with its own energy. The grand nature provides the energy to the movement of all objects through asserting such competency and it enables the entire eco-system to sustain its balance. The reason for depicting such competence and technology of the grand nature as mysterious may be attributable to the fact that the capability of the heaven could not be comprehend by the human intelligence alone, and the assertion of the heaven’s capability is much greater than that of human, and human could not easily know even in the process of confronting and cooperating with the natural power. The philosophy of Zhang Zai has the ultimate objective in becoming a human that is completely united with such grand nature in practical sense. In the aspect of unity of the grand nature and human, it implies that the theory of Shen Transformation implies that the excellence of virtue and moral education of human corresponds those of the grand nature. However, in the aspect of unity of human and nature, the theory of Shen Transformation of Zhang Zai may be reinterpreted as the cooperative technology formed in between the grand nature and human. Such a theory of Shen Transformation of Zhang Zai has the following implication of ecological philosophy. First, the emphasis on mystery and excellence of the grand nature may enable to consider the spirit and technology of the human community critically that has been exploited the nature with arrogant attitude. And second, the outstanding practice of the sages as corresponding to the outstanding Qi Transformation of the grand nature is reinterpreted as the cooperative technology theory between human and nature in a way of helping to establish the ecological ethics – technology theory.