The Subtraction In Moral Education

This research tries to explore and analyze the ideas of Chuang Tzu on moral education, which are completely different from those of traditional Confucianism and are ignored and even misunderstood by the previous researches, and hopes to summarize them as a relatively systematic theoretical framework. Then, on the basis of this framework, this research attempts to examine the current moral education in our country, reflect on its content and methods, so as to find a new theoretic perspective and some enlightenment on solving such problems as the degradation and the futility of moral education in schools.The basic ideas this dissertation tries to illustrate are listed as follows. Contrary to the addition principle of moral education raised by Confucianism, Chuang Tzu put forward the subtraction principle of moral education. Chuang Tzu maintained that moral realm can(?)be attained by the instruction of moral knowledge or the restriction of moral norms. People can(?)make an individual more moral by teaching him moral knowledge, just in the way of teaching natural knowledge, in moral education. The accumulation of knowledge and the restriction of norms are ineffective. The moral education method advocated by Confucianism, which features moral knowledge education and restriction by moral norms, rather than make an individual more moral, leads to the degradation of morals. The moral education fitting in with the nature, instead of teaching people moral knowledge or restricting people by moral norms, goes in an opposite direction. That is, it tries to instruct people how to look at the world, himself and others, how to eliminate people(?)desire for external materials and the influence of Confucianism moral knowledge and restriction of ethic norms, and to give up the pursuit for moral utilitarian purposes, and to forget the memories of various truths and falsenesses, goods and evils accumulated in the daily life, to clear the pollution of human spirit by civilization, and to pick up the human nature of simplicity and plainness. The value of the thoughts of Chuang Tzu on morals lies in his criticism and negation. His negation on moral knowledge, on the function of education of moral norms not only has a great criticizing power, but also has a strong theoretical significance and a great practical value.The dissertation includes 5 parts. Part 1 is an introduction, presenting briefly the reasons for this research, and main problems to be solved by this research and the main methodology and a literature review of the researches undertaken in this field. Part 2 highlights the meaning of subtraction of moral and analyzes the content to be subtracted. Part 3 analyzes the reasons why Chuang Tzu should put forward the proposal of moral subtraction, aiming to probe into the theoretic foundations of his moral subtraction. Part 4 mainly explores the ways to do moral subtraction, attempting to refine and summarize the primary methods of moral fostering. Part 5 is a reflection on the content and methods of moral education implemented currently in the schools in our country according to the beliefs of Chuang Tzu on moral education, and on this basis several suggestions on how to improve the moral education in schools are advanced.