「兒童讀經」能成為二十一世紀可行之道德教育嗎？：一哲學視角之探究

Is Ertong Dujing a Viable Form of Moral Education for the 21st Century? A Philosophical Investigation

本文探討現今兒童讀經運動引發之爭議。兒童讀經是近年在臺灣和中國大陸興起的草根性教育運動，希望透由兒童背誦傳統儒家和道家的經典，以宣揚文化價值並促成品格發展。爭議主要在於背誦的合理性以及經典對當代教育的價值。雖然讀經在學界引發的這一波爭議已經退卻，但關於如何在當代課程中融入經典教育的實際性問題卻仍有待解決。本文以哲學的視角探究兒童讀經運動潛在的教育與道德意涵，並以孔子（551-479BCE）及杜威（1859-1952）的相關教育學說為分析之重點。本文無意選定某個立場或企圖化解爭議，而是希望指出兒童讀經運動可能的前瞻發展與所面臨的挑戰。有鑑於全球化 vs. 本土化、東方 vs. 西方、教育理論 vs.教育實踐之間的衝擊，我們必須揚棄任何表面的意識型態之爭，從更深入與宏觀的角度檢視問題。

The paper deals with a controversy over the current ertong dujing movement. Ertong (children) dujing (reciting the classics) refers to a grassroots educational movement in Taiwan and mainland China in which children recite the classical texts of Confucianism and Daoism in order to promote cultural values and cultivate moral character. The controversy centers on the legitimacy of recitation as a method of instruction and the value of classics in contemporary education. Although the controversy has somewhat subsided in academic circles, the practical question of how to integrate classical learning into a contemporary curriculum is still unresolved. This paper aims to explore the potential moral and educational value of the ertong dujing movement from a philosophical perspective by drawing on the teachings of Confucius in the Analects and also the works of John Dewey (1859-1952). The reason why I propose a hypothetical conversation with Confucius (551-479 BCE) and Dewey is that their thoughts about education have often been used to either support or denounce the ertong dujing movement. The purpose of the paper is not to take a stand or to finally settle the controversy, but to highlight both its prospects and challenges with respect to moral education. In light of the constant tensions between localization and globalization, between East and West, between educational theory and practice, we need to move beyond mere ideological disputes and examine the ertong dujing movement more deeply and thoroughly.