戴震「氣本論」內涵及其思想困境探析

An Analysis of Connotations of Tai Chen's “Qi-Based Philosophy” and the Dilemma in His Thoughts

戴震為乾隆時期考據學大家，同時也是皖派經學的代表人物。其學術除涉天文、數學、律曆各領域外，於「心性義理」方面亦有許多重要論述，這些觀點主要見於《孟子字義疏證》及《原善》等書。在現實面上，戴震對於不合人性之禮教規範嚴厲批判，發出「人死於法，猶有憐之者，死於理，其誰憐之」的批判；在學理上，戴震反對「理學」標舉「理」為最高存有的觀點，認為「氣」即是真實存有本身，「天地之氣化，流行不已，生生不息，其實體即純美精好」，毋須頭上安頭，別立一個空洞而無實益的概念。為此，在當代學者分類中，戴震乃被歸為「氣本論」一派。本文即是以此作為前提，首先論述戴震「氣本論」思想幾個重要概念；其次比較「氣本論」與「清代考據學」間可能的內在繫聯；最後則是指陳戴震思想所面臨之困境，及其理論隱含的缺陷所在。希望透過此種批判方式，發掘戴震哲學更多的內涵。

Tai Chen was a master of textual research science in Qianlong Period and was a representative of Confucian Classics of Anhwei School. Not only did his learnings refer to astronomy, mathematics, law and calendar, but he had many important expositions on “minds and justice”. We can mainly see these viewpoints in the books of “Menzi Ziyi Shuzheng” and “Yuan Shan.” In reality, Tai Chen strictly criticized the unreasonable courtesy and rules, he brought up the criticism “People may sympathize those who die of being against the law, but no one will sympathize those who die of being against the reason.” In the course of learning, Tai Chen opposed “the Confucian School of Idealist philosophy of the Song and Ming Dynasties” but he considered “reason” as the highest viewpoint. He thought “Qi”was something really existing in itself. “The pneumatization of the universe is prevailing unceasingly and the reality of itself is pure beauty and finess.” It's no need to be gold-plated and to set up another empty and useless concept. Therefore, Tai Chen was classified to be the “Qi-Based Philosophy” School in the classification of the contemporary scholars. The premise of this paper is to discuss some important concepts of Tai Chen's “Qi-Based Philosophy” at first. Then we like to compare the possible inner connection between “Qi-Based Philosophy” and “The Textual Research of Qing Dynasty”. At last we point out the dilemma of Tai Chen's thoughts and the defects implied in his theories. Hopefully we can excavate more connotations of Tai Chen's philosophy through such kind of criticism.