Xunzi's Dao and Its Contents

Abstract

Xunzi suggests that order or disorder,good or bad,and morality in general depends on whether the heart-mind understands the Way(Dao 道) and can abide by the Way in its judgement and the consequent actions.However,what exactly is the content of the Way? Does the Way consist of some objective knowledge and truths that are independent of human beings,or the Way consists of normative standards that are constructed by human beings and are closely related to human nature and feelings? In this paper we explore the content of the Way so as to clarify whether the Way refers to an independent reality or consists of practical norms that are constituted by human nature and feelings

荀子認為治亂乃至善惡、道德取決于'心'是否'知道',以及'心'是否能根據'道'來指導其判斷和行為。可是,'道'的具體內容是什么呢?其指涉的是一些獨立客觀的真理、知識,或者是離不開人類性情、甚至由人類構建創造的規范標準?我們將探究《荀子》中'道'的實質內容,以圖明了'道'是原則上獨立于人類的客觀真理,還是和人類息息相關、甚至以人類性情為構成條件的實用理則。