Rectification of Names to Secure Ethico-Political Truth: A Confucian Case

為確保道德政治之客觀真理性的儒家正名思想

鄭在鉉(Chaehyun CHONG)

Rectification of Names ； Primacy of Names ； Justifying Morality ； Discovering Morality ； Absolutism ； Relativism ； Objectivism ； 正名 ； 名稱的首要地位 ； 道德正當化 ； 道德發見 ； 絕對主義 ； 相對主義 ； 客觀主義

哲學與文化

44卷12期（2017 / 12 / 01）

99 - 112

英文

This paper interprets the Confucian ＂rectification of names＂ as a means to secure an objective ethico-political truth, from the perspective of justifying morality. Previous interpretations of the Confucian rectification of names suggest either ethico-political absolutism or relativism because they view the rectification mainly from the viewpoint of discovering morality. Since Confucianism is distinguished from other rival views as it attempts to secure an objective ethico-political truth, the Confucian rectification of names should be interpreted as disclosing this characteristic of Confucianism. In other words, the Confucian rectification of names, as a typical Confucian political doctrine, should be interpreted as aiming to provide a unified standard that can resolve chaotic ethico-political situations. Hence, I emphasize the primacy of names in the Confucian tradition, which refers to the claim that we need prior directions to follow or standards by which we judge before we conduct any ethico-political endeavors. Fung Yu-lan's interpretation based on his doctrine of ideas, therefore, can be favorably introduced again despite many criticisms against it if we view it as the claim of justifying morality.

本文從道德正當化的角度解析了儒家正名思想，認為儒家的「正名」是確定客觀道德政治真理的手段。以前對儒家正名的解析似乎表明了道德政治絕對主義或道德政治相對主義，這主要是從道德發見的角度來看的。我的解析源於我的觀點，即與其他對立的思想不同，儒家思想是為了確保道德政治的客觀真理性。儒家正名思想恰恰反映了儒家思想的這個特徵。為此，我強調儒家傳統中「名稱」所具有的首要地位。名稱的首要地位是指在我們進行任何道德政治工作之前，我們需要遵循的指示或我們判斷的標準。在這方面，儒家正名的目標是提供可以解決任何混亂的道德政治局面的統一標準。然而，正名的這個方面只能在道德正當化的範圍內得到保障。

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