• The Journal of Korean Philosophical History
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• no.54
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• pp.77-113
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• 2017

In late Chosen(朝鮮), the concept of illustrious virtue(明德) became an important issue of debate. However, previous studies did not focus on how the concept emerged as an issue. This paper aimed to explore the problem, and for this purpose, paid attention to Horak(湖洛) debate. Oiam(巍巖) Yi Gan(李柬), in the course of discussion with Namdang(南塘), finally argued that mind(心) clearly distinguishes from temperament(氣質). The goals of the claim were to clearly divide mind and temperament, and to emphasize mind's control of temperament. Through this, he wanted to reject the possibility of being affected by temperament in aroused state(未發). And he presented the concept of illustrious virtue as a critical evidence supporting his argument. He argued that because mind is same with illustrious virtue, it has a special status that essentially distinguished from the temperament, even if both mind and temperament are all material force(氣). This argument led to new discussion trend in the debate. it was to form a definition of the mind, based on defining the relationship between spiritual perception(虛靈知覺), temperament and illustrious virtue. The trend was reflected in the debate on 'Whether illustrious virtue is the same for everyone or varies from person to person(明德分殊)'. Through the process of analysis in this paper, we could detect a tendency that definition of mind has become an independent subject.

• The Journal of Korean Philosophical History
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• no.27
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• pp.363-386
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• 2009

This paper's aim is to articulate the educational ideas and methodology of Confucian philosophy in contrast with western classical Philosophy. The ideas and methodology of western classical philosophy is manifested on "the similes of cave" in The Republic of Plato. "The similes of cave" teaches us that 1) philosophy begins with criticism of everyday's consciousness, 2) philosophy is based upon radical philosophical attitude, 3) philosophy request absolute knowledge of the ultimate, 4) philosopher enlightenments the people with absolute knowledge of the ultimate. Confucius said, "at fifteen, I had my mine bent on learning, ⋯⋯ at fifty I knew the decrees of Heaven, ⋯⋯ at seventy, I could follow what my heart desired, without transgressing what was right." This is a typical of philosophical life. Therefore, What the Great Learning as one of confucian Four Books represents, is 1) to illustrate illustrious Virtue, 2) to renovate the people, 3) and to rest in the highest excellence.

• Journal of Sasang Constitutional Medicine
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.1-13
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• 2008

1. Objectives This study was purposed to find Dong's thoughts about the eight items of the "The Great Learning(Ta hsueh)" 2. Methods It was researched through comparative and overall study on the Dong-mu's thoughts in "Gyukchigo(格致藁)" 3. Results (1) Dongmu reinterpreted the eight items of the "The Great Learning(Ta hsueh)" as the relations between the subject and the object from the ontologic assumption of Affairs Mind Body Objects as the principle of existence and correlation, summarized into four categories, and classified into the individual and subjective affairs, and the universal and objective affairs. The four categories of the eight items of the "The Great Learning(Ta hsueh)" are correlated with the individual and the universal ethics of behavior, and connected with the element for overcoming the individual inclination of mind and wickedness. (2) After the individual and subjective human was established, the eight items of the "The Great Learning(Ta hsueh)" were classified into two categories, and coupled up with each two items('Being sincere in their thoughts' with 'Extending to the utmost their knowledge', 'Rectifying their hearts' with 'Investigating things', 'Cultivating their persons' with 'Illustrating illustrious virtue throughout the kingdom', 'Regulating their families' with 'Ordering their own states'). Being based on this, 'Being sincere in their thoughts', 'Rectifying their hearts', 'Cultivating their persons' and 'Regulating their families' were understood as four individual and subjective human-basic-essential activity. Especially, mind, heart, body and family(power) were regarded as the four basic element in human existence and activity, and in correlation with universe and society, set up as the subjective element in Dongmu's epistemology, theory of nature and emotion, theory of morality and theory of moral cultivation.

• Korean Educational Research Journal
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• v.40 no.2
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• pp.17-33
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• 2019

This study examines the fundamental ethics of practice that Dasan Jung Yak-yong(1762-1836) argued at the book, "Dàxuégōngyì大學公議, The Public debate of Great Learning", by investigating the relationship between main agents of education. "Dàxuégōngyì", the book that Dasan wrote when he was 53 years old at his exiled place, Gangjin. As the title suggested, Dàxuégōngyì, it could be recognized as the impartial view based on the critical perspective to Zhūxǐ(朱憙)'s opinion. Zhuxi focused on the importance of "Great Learning 大學" as a study of the Great people and argued that "Great Learning" is the study for all the people should learn. On the other hand, Dasan claimed that "Tàixuézhīdào太學之道" in "Great Learning" is the study for the prince, not for the normal people. And he also interpreted "Dàxué 大學" as the school for teaching prince. In addition, "Great Learning" suggested the three practical principles; to illustrate illustrious virtue; to renovate the people; and to rest in the highest excellence. However, Dasan argued different way and emphasized three ethics of practice; filial piety(孝), admiration(弟), mercy(慈) and regarded as illustrious virtue of "Great Learning." He denied the three principle of "Great Learning" that Zhuxi reorganized and suggested including renovating the people(新民), and provided that close to the people(親民) is one of the main principles of "Great Learning." According to Dasan, if the king practices these three ethics of practice including filial piety, admiration, and mercy, so that the people will practice these ethics voluntarily. In other words, he indicated that the practice of three ethics is not only for the prince in the loyal family, but also for principles to educate the people in the nation. Thus, three ethics by Dasan including filial piety, admiration, and mercy could be recognized as the symbol of humanity. In other words, Dasan's three ethics in "Great Learning" can be recognized as the practical principles including educational issues and educational interactions. If these three ethics can be referred as the symbol of humanity as mentioned above, the implicit educational interactions are specifically constructed within the basic assumptions. Therefore, it is possible to clarify the specific ethics of practice by the indicating specific subjects and objects in the educational interactions between these three ethics of practice. Also, it helps more clear comprehension about the "Dàxuégōngyì大學公議, The Public debate of Great Learning", by Dasan.

• (The)Study of the Eastern Classic
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• no.34
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• pp.257-286
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• 2009

Yi, Hang-no said that taiji(=li) was Myeong-deok(illustrious virtue), the core of mind and heart, emphasizing the sides of superintendent and mysterious ability of li. It seems that he aimed to stress the upper status of li than qi, out of earlier general theory on mind and heart recognizing both li and qi consisted in the mind and heart. Through it, he wanted to say that only human being had moral mind like taiji and upper moral status than animals which human being should keep. The reason that Yi, Hang-no emphasized the difference between li and qi was because of a critical mind that the upper value of li than qi should not be changed and it would be the most dangerous situation if the value collapsed. Like this, Yi, Hang-no's attitude emphasizing li in his theory of mind and heart eventually aimed to explain the theory of Insim(Desire to be) and Dosim(Moral Mind). Yi, Hang-no's disciples testified that their teacher, Yi, Hang-no had cost his whole life to study the theory of Insim and Dosim. This means that Yi, Hang-no had tried to discriminate between Insim and Dosim, and to block private desires in Insim. The fact that Yi, Hang-no stressed the importance of the theory of Insim and Dosim had to do with the special situation that Western Power approached Joseon dynasty. Because Yi, Hang-no opposed the Westerner's moral consciousness for individual desires, against heavenly orders. To overcome the Western challenge, Yi, Hang-no strived to notice that taiji was the core of human mind. The point that Yi, Hang-no wanted to say was that Dosim(Moral Mind) was just the heavenly orders which human being couldn't disobey. Yi, Hang-no thought that Joseon couldn't defence Western flow without this theory of Insim and Dosim. Just after French invasion(1866), Yi, Hang-no was selected as a high-leveled bureaucrat, so he insisted his opinions for rejecting heterodoxy by the letters to the throne several times. The letters also contained his theory of Insim and Dosim mainly. Insisting fight against Western Power and prohibition of trade with Western Power, Yi, Hang-no eventually emphasized the king's right mind(Dosim) as a main and sole means to achieve all the goals he said. In conclusion, Yi, Hang-no's theory on mind and heart was as it is reflected in his letters to the throne. Therefore we can see that Yi, Hang-no's theory on mind and heart had harmonized with his movement to "Rejecting Heterodoxy".