日本における「学び」の解釈―『論語』の学而篇の「學」の解釈を例として―

Abstract

In ancient Japan, there was no written language. In other words, in order to learn something, it was important to ‘imitate’ the other person. There was no self-study, and no systematic ‘learning’. However, when written language was introduced, the meaning of ‘learning’ became more significant. It is thought that it changed into ‘learning’ that required deep thought. This was particularly evident in the Edo period. The concrete practice of ‘learning’ was attempted by using the Analects. Ito Jinsai 伊藤仁斎 considered ‘learning’ to be imitation, while Ogyu Sorai 荻生徂徠 considered the purpose of learning to be ‘learning the ways of the former kings’. Furthermore, the purpose of learning is to improve one’s own virtue through the ways learned from one’s teacher. ‘Learning’ was interpreted as ‘acquiring’ and ‘knowledge’, and in the late Edo period, the concept was formed that ‘learning’ belongs to ‘knowledge’ and ‘practice’ belongs to ‘practice’, which expresses accumulated ‘learning’ (knowledge). This is thought to have changed from Zhu Xi 朱子’s interpretation, in which ‘learning’ was the concept of remembering and realizing things, to being influenced by Yangmingism 陽明学. Furthermore, during the Meiji period, Western words were imported. Shibusawa Eiichi 渋沢栄一, backed by the idea of ​​the unity of knowledge and action, spoke of utilizing the Analects of Confucius as practical ethics. Shibusawa probably thought ‘learning’ as ‘knowledge for practice’, and that ‘learning’ and ‘practice’ should be one and the same. On the other hand, Nishi Amane 西周, who also came into contact with Western words, spoke of knowledge and action, but thought ‘learning’ and ‘practice’ as separate entities. In particular, he considered ‘learning’ as the pursuit of the psychology of things, and drew a line between it and everyday life. After that, ‘learning’ developed into something that pursues truths that are separate from everyday life. As mentioned above, by looking at how ‘learning’ is perceived, we can find the change in the attitude towards learning in Japanese society. There, the meaning of learning changed due to foreign influences, and attempts were made to incorporate it into everyday life. Since the modern era, it appears that learning has been influenced by the West and has evolved into something more detached from everyday life.