하곡 정제두의 지행합일론

The Theory of Unity of Knowledge and Conduct of Hagok, Jeong Jae Doo

Hagok Jeong Jae Doo believed that man is, as a principle of life, equipped with the good knowledge, or the moral autonomy capable of judging right and wrong. He formed his ideas on man based on this principle of lifet heory. Thec haracteristics of his theory on conduct and knowledge, which was formed based on his such ideas about mankind, area s follows. First, he understood this 'good knowledge' not as a natural and reasonable state, but as 'the reason why' on which it was based upon. Second, by contending that good knowledge was a principle of life unliket hea bstract knowledge about principles wei nfer from experience, he emphasized the activeness and creativeness of good knowledge. Third, the theory contends that the bright virtue(明德)-the inherent fundamental characteristic of the subjective person-is comprised of knowledge and ability required to become aware of and realizet hep rinciples of thehe avens. Fourth, the principleof life is self enlightening, and simultaneously possesses the four virtues and realizes them aptly. Fifth, good knowledgea s thee ssenceof them ind and the realization of the principles of objects through its application cannot be separated. Sixth, the physical application of good knowledge is metaphorically explained as the inability to tell apart the brightness of a light and theb rightness of shining a light, meaning that practiceis incorporated in the good knowledge itself. Seventh, the fundamentals (大本) and achieving morality(達道), bright virtue and closeness with the people(親民), knowledge and conduct is only represented in the form of learning and application, but are all one and the same. Eighth, in order to recover the essence of unity of knowledge and conduct, efforts to remove personal greed, physical restraint, and bad habits must be made to reach the stage at which one is able to practice morality and virtue even when alone.