電子時代中個人自我修養之道──從朱熹對格物致知的觀點談起

Self-culture in the Electronic Age: The Perspective of Zhu Xi's Gewu Zhizhi

二十世紀末業電子科技的研發一日千里。其中尤以個人電腦的功能和應用更是日新月異。它固然提供了世人諸多利便，卻也造成了人類學習行為模式的丕變。本文則旨在從朱熹（1130-1200）對格物致知的觀點探討在電子時代中國人自我學習暨修養之道。表面上看來，個人電腦、網際網路以及其他電子媒體對學習行為的確具有促進的功能。它們對使用者提供了立即的傳輸作業、而使之接近資料庫獲取所需的資訊並得以靈活運用有關的一應文獻。此外，它們更提供聊天場所和線上遊戲，讓使用者得以毫無拘束地自我表達，從而探索自我的其他面相。但是從更深的層面來看，這種學習模式並不能達到傳統學習模式所觸及的深度，並甚而使學習淪為速食式的、零星式的以及淺碟式的。若以朱熹的觀點來看此一課題，顯然問題要比想像中的更為嚴重。朱熹認為個人學習與自我修養必須是經由生活中的真實體驗孕育形成的。師生之間的關係更牽涉到角色的示範、適當人際關係的認知以及正確行為的履踐等。其格物致知的觀點強調一個人必須先審慎觀察一切現象（包括讀經），再思索它們的重要性與實際關連性，進而將這些新知和生活實踐結合在一起。準此而言，「學者須是務實」。就此標準來說，當下藉助於電子媒體的學習在集中度、深度以及實踐度上自然是有所欠缺的。總之，筆者認為個人電腦、網際網路以及其他電子媒體對學習是有所助益的。然而如果朱熹活在當代，他必然會和多數人文學者一樣，同意人們應該謹慎地使用這些便利學習的資源，並支持個人學習與自我修養能在真實生活中確實履踐。

This article examines the conduct of self-learning and cultivation in the electronic age from the perspective of Zhu Xi's concept of 'Gewu Zhizhi'. On the surface, our computers, internet and electronic media certainly facilitate learning. They provide instant communication, access to data banks, and text manipulation. They even provide chat rooms and online games for people to express themselves freely and to explore other aspects of self. On a deeper level, however, people do not read and absorb information with the same degree of concentration and depth as before. Learning is becoming increasingly streamlined, sporadic andsuperficial. From Zhu Xi's perspective, the problem is even more serious. For him, self learning and cultivation should be conducted in light of real life. Even the student's relationship with the teacher itself involves role modeling, understanding upright human relationships and practicing appropriate conduct. In Zhu Xi's 'gewu zhizhi', one carefully observes phenomena (or reads texts), thinks about their significance and practical implications, and then incorporates this new knowledge into life practice. In this sense, '學者須是務實.' By this standard, nowadays people's learning through electronic media lacks the concentration, depth and practical implications of genuine learning. In conclusion, although our computers, internet and electronic media facilitate learning by providing instant communication, access to information, etc., Zhu Xi would argue—and most humanities scholars would agree—that people should use these gifts sparingly and carefully in support of their overall project of self learning and cultivation in the context of real life.