鬼神論의 敎育學的 意味

Neo-Confucianist Concept of Ghosts and Spirits (鬼神) in Relation to Educational Theory

주희에 의하면, 鬼神은 氣와 관련된 개념이다. 그리하여 귀신은 그의 철학체계 내에서 중요한 역할을 하지 않는 것으로 취급되는 듯이 보인다. 그러나 發과 動을 엄격하게 구분하면, 귀신은 理의 動을 설명하는 개념으로서 성리학 체계 내에서 없어서는 안될 중요한 개념으로 부상된다. 귀신은, 理가 인간의 삶에서 단순히 소극적인 기준으로서의 역할을 하는 것에 그치지 않고, 인간의 인식 과정에서 모종의 작용을 적극적으로 수행하며 인간의 삶 속에서 중요한 의의를 가진다는 점을 설명하는 개념이다. 성리학을 교육이론으로 해석하려는 우리의 관심사에 비추어 볼 때, 귀신론은 성리학에서 중요한 역할을 하는 것이다.

For Chu Hsi, it is Ch i(氣) that has something to do with the movement. Li(理) represents a fixed standard which is mobilized only by Ch i. The Ghosts and Spirits (鬼神) designates the two modes of Ch i ; Ghost (鬼) is that which contracts, and Spirit (神) is that which stretches. But if we distinguish the manifestation (發) from the movement (動), Ghosts and Spirits can have a more far-reaching implication for education than in Chu Hsi s formulation. The Great Ultimate(太極), as the origin of all things, has in itself two kinds of movement. One is the manifestation of Ch i(氣之發) as bringing forth the things. In this kind of movement Ch i does not manifest itself, but makes things manifest. Another is the movement of Li(理之動) as moving in the Great Ultimate. The movement of Li is a primordial form of movement that becomes manifest at the moment when Ch i makes things manifest. If we distinguish strictly the manifestation(發) from the movement (動), the movement will not belong to Ch i, but to Li. The fact that the movement of Li occurs simultaneou sly with the manifestation of Ch i may have led the Sung Neo-Confucianists to the belief that all movement belongs to Ch i. Ghosts and Spirits is a concept for explaining the movement of Li, according to which Li does not play a passive role, but an active one. Li plays a positive role in man s under standing process, and has an important function in man s life. That is why the concept of Ghosts and Spirits becomes indispensable when we try to interpret the Neo-Confucianist philosophy as educational theory.