On The Ecological Ethic And Modern Value Of Zhang Zai

Since 1940s,Ecological ethics had become an independent subject,but the idea of ecological ethics in the history of thought in our country has the deep history origin.Its' development was combined with the human's realization of nature and itself.Northern Song Dynasty philosopher Zhang Zai's philosophy contains a profound and simple wisdom of ecological ethics and most of them were in concert with the modern ecological ethics.His philosophy has great reference values for the practice of the establishment of harmonious relationship between human being and nature.Zhang Zai opposed the thought of Buddhist and Taoist.In his "gas epistemology" basing on Ontology,he insists on the line of simple materialism and put forward the thought of "gas-monism". He believes that "the universe is gas","universe" and "gas" are inseparable and "universe" was full filled with "gas".The origin of everything in the universe including humans is "gas",so all the creation in the universe is equal on the value of meaning.His thought was similar with H.Rolston's idea of "Natural Value".But Zhang did not use "gas" to explain human being.For the explanation of good and evil of human nature,he proposed dualistic theory of human nature-"nature of heaven" and "physical nature".In his opinion, human inherit kindness and sincerity from "heaven",so human was born with "nature of heaven" and could observe all the creation with "kindness".Affected by the society and environment,the statement of human "gas of Yin-yang" and the kind of affection of "gas" were different,so the "physical nature" in human nature was different.The natural good of human was mixed with some kind of evil.But Zhang believes the training of morals could perfect the "physical nature",fix the blemish of human nature and ram the good of human,so we can fall into step with "nature of heaven"."Correspondence between human beings and nature" in traditional culture of China was fully developed by Zhang Zai.In his book Xi Ming, he mentioned the universe is parents,everything on earth is friend.The book showed his philanthropism and humanitarianism in his humanism consciousness and ecological moral thought.This was happened to coincide with "reverence for life" of western ecological ethical.Zhang Zai's subject of "Correspondence between human beings and nature" is the basement of all his ecological moral thought.Without the principle of the harmonious between nature and human beings,the emotion between human and nature was unascertainable,the feelings that human treat nature as parents and friends also lost its foundation.Only on the basement of cognizance of "Correspondence between human beings and nature" human being could understanding the "universe is parents,everything on earth is friend" and respect and cherish the nature with deep feeling.Above all is the outstanding characteristic of Zhang Zai's ecological moral thought.The logic means of Zhang Zai's ecological moral thought are:from the naive materialism analysis of "universe",obtain that human and non-human sources has its value, the value is "Be".Then,from the emotion between human being and nature,we can build the code of ethics for human treatment of nature,this is "Ought" in his moral thought.The final goal of our research on philosophical theory is guide people's practice to know and change the world.Ecological ethics not just explain the ethical relationship between human and nature,the most important is it makes people take the responsibility for environmental protection.It is a fairly complicated process from "Be" to "Ought" and then "Ought to be" in the human practice of changing the nature.Since the ancient philosophers have Heaven on the occasion of the various theories so far,we are constantly explored.This article analyze Zhang Zai's ecological ethic from it's' formation,main content and significance,and also concern with the view of ecological ethics of modern analysis.Unearth the treasure he leaved us by sifting his thought.Combined with the accomplishment of modern science and technology and practical experience of our society,we gradually enrich the theory of ecological ethic and provide ecological civilization construction of China with valuable mental resources for guiding the people solves the environment problem.