• Journal of Ethics
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• no.74
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• pp.35-62
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• 2009

This study purports to explore the possibility of establishing the theory of ethics education based on the concept 'Gyeong(敬)' in Early Confucianism. There was a negative viewpoint on Confucianism directly after the modernization of Korea. However, a positive trend for Confucianism has emerged in almost all sorts of studies even though the results of the studies in Moral education are not always successful. West moral education theories and traditional ethics education theories should be integrated dialectically so that traditional ethics education may be updated. Recently a reappraisal of traditional values has been undertaken as a replacement of liberal democracy values. Faced with the modern civilization's crisis and a decline in morals in Korea, reverence needs to be dealt with in ethics education. This study is primarily concerned with the nature-transcendental relation whose concrete concept is 'Gyeong(敬)' in Confucianism. And the study attempts to put forward the theory of reverence-centered ethics education. The contents of the study consists of the substance of 'Gyeong(敬)' in Early Confucianism, and practical principles and methods of reverence-based ethics education. Some tasks of moral education are also suggested for the scientific establishment of reverence-centered ethics education.