七情과 도덕성 - ‘聖人의 七情’을 중심으로

Abstract

The Seven Feelings(七情) described in the Li yun(禮運) chapter in The Book of Rituals(禮記) are not related to morality. They are close to the senses and reactions that are based on the desires. However, in The Doctrine of the Mean(中庸), being capable of having joy, anger, sorrow and delight(喜怒哀樂) is deemed to achieve complete harmony[和]. In this case, it will be able to indicate certain sort of morality. Based on that idea, Ki Dae-seung(奇大升1527∼1572) suggested that The Seven Feelings can realize moral values. Yi Hwang(李滉1501∼1570) contends that a source of moral values ​​exists in the mind. Since Four Clues(四端) are only considered to be moral nature which appears in the mind[理發], he does not speak of a morality in The Seven Feelings[氣發]. Yi ik(李瀷1681∼1763) makes a conclusion about 'the Seven feelings of a saint(聖人之七情)' in the activities of the Ki(氣). He says that it is defined by ‘the public private(私中之公)’. It means that morality is realized by the Seven Feelings. Shin Hudam(愼後聃1702∼1761)`s Four-Seven changes the focus of the discussions as a matter of ‘Xingming(性命)’ and ‘HyungKi(形氣)’. But ‘desire and aversion toward the moral good and evil(好善惡惡)’ are not related to the feelings of personal interests HyungKi. This is what he exactly means by the ‘the seven Public feelings(公七情)’. It means that the Seven Feelings itself is also moral. The Seven Feelings are not directly related to a morality. However through discussion of the Seven feelings of a saint, it is possible to know the process of changing the moral itself from moral possibilities.