华东师范大学学报(哲学社会科学版) ›› 2022, Vol. 54 ›› Issue (3): 10-20.doi: 10.16382/j.cnki.1000-5579.2022.03.002

• 再写中国伦理学 • 上一篇    下一篇

儒家伦理中的脆弱性问题——以孔子答宰我问“三年之丧”为例

吴先伍   

  • 接受日期:2022-04-14 出版日期:2022-05-15 发布日期:2022-05-31
  • 作者简介:吴先伍，南京师范大学公共管理学院教授（南京，210023）
  • 基金资助:
    国家社科基金重大项目“伦理学知识体系的当代中国重建”（项目编号：19ZDA033）；江苏省社会科学重点项目“原始儒家责任伦理研究”（项目编号：19ZXA002）

Vulnerability in Confucian Ethics: A Case Study of Confucius’ Response to Zaiwo’s Question of Three-Year Mourning

Xian-wu WU   

  • Accepted:2022-04-14 Online:2022-05-15 Published:2022-05-31

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摘要：

西方伦理强调道德之人的强大，否定其脆弱性，而儒家伦理则高度重视伦理之人的脆弱性，这在孔子答宰我问“三年之丧”中得到了生动体现。人不仅小时候高度脆弱，在出生三年之后，才能脱离父母的怀抱，而且这种脆弱性与人相伴一生，因为人始终会受到老病死等问题的纠缠。正是因为每个人都有脆弱性，所以，人们能够对他人的脆弱性产生共通感，愿意为他者承担道德责任，愿意帮助他者。人们在为他者承担责任的过程中，又将自己作为一个坚强的道德主体建立起来。不过，这种坚强并没有消除脆弱性，而是在深刻体会自身脆弱性的基础上，对他人的脆弱性感同身受，从而使自己的仁心善性不断被激发出来，使自己在道德之路上坚持不懈。

关键词: 儒家伦理, 三年之丧, 脆弱性

Abstract:

While Western ethics emphasizes the strength of a moral agent and denies his or her vulnerability, Confucian ethics emphasizes the vulnerability, which is vividly reflected in Confucius’ answer to Zaiwo’s question of “three years of mourning”. We are vulnerable since we cannot depart our parents’ arms until three years after birth. However, we are vulnerable during our whole lives since we are always plagued by problems such as old age, illness and death. It is precisely because everyone has vulnerability that we have empathy for others’ vulnerability and are willing to take moral responsibility for and help others. In the process of taking responsibility for others, we establish ourselves as strong moral agents. However, such strength does not eliminate vulnerability. With a deep understanding of our own vulnerability, we have empathy for the vulnerability of others, and persevere in the way of morality with our own humanity and kindness constantly stimulated.

Key words: Confucian ethics, three-year mourning, vulnerability