퇴계 이황 철학사상의 생태론적 특성

Abstract

In this paper the author tries to restructure the philosophy of Lee Hwang based on ecological philosophy, then considers the ecological characters and significances of it. The ecological characters of Lee Hwang’s philosophy can be summed up in 5 ones as follows. First, the universality of ‘One Principle (一理)’ and the principle of equality. Man and all things in the nature are without discrimination granted the same ‘One principle’ and regard it as their own character, hence man and all things are primarily equal and in the aspect of intrinsic value they also are equal. Second, the differences between man and other things because of the innate energy (氣稟). In terms of practicality, there are discriminations between man and natural things because of the differences between the quintessence and the sediment (粹粕), the clarity and the turbidity (淸濁) of the energy that they are granted. The character of man who gains the right and good energy is penetrative and clear, on the contrary the character of natural things which gain the inclined energy is obstructed and dark. Third, the mind of man is the very mind of the Heaven. The mind of man is the mind with which the Heaven and the Earth give birth to all things, namely the virtuous mind (仁心), thus man through that mind can love others and bring advantages to all things. Forth, the preservation and realization of the morality (四德) through the cultivation (敬). Though there are differences of inborn temperament between man and man, through the moral cultivation such as cultivating the reverence (敬), they can overcome the obstacles and limitations and protect and realize the innate morality (四德), and thus can become man of morality. Fifth, the Heaven, Earth and all things as One body (天地萬物一體) through the expansion of love (擴充愛). Based on the fully awareness of the virtuous body (仁體), means the One body comprising the Heaven, Earth and all things, the love is gradually expanded from the love for the family, to the love for people around, the human beings, and all things in the nature. Only through that expanding love, which is based on the fair mind (公心) of the non-self (無我), that the so-called ‘things and I are one (物我一體)’ can be realized. The expansion of love that Lee Hwang talked about is based on the natural feelings of man, but it can be widened by means of the cultivation. That is not only the emphasis on the rationality than the feelings, but also the resolution of problems posed in Western environmental ethics and then the intention in building a new environmental ethics, and that can be seen as its modern signification.