An Analysis Of Du Guoxiang's Research On The History Of Chinese Logic

Du Guoxiang(1889-1961) is a famous scholar of modern times in China. He is called �Mozhe� by the educational circles. One important part of Du Guoxiang's academic research is the research on the history of Chinese logic. The results of this research have both important theoretical significance and practical value for us to further understand the research situation of the history of Chinese logic in Chinese modern times, fully understand and grasp Du Guoxiang's academic research and promote our further research on Chinese Ming-Bian.Du Guoxiang's research on the history of Chinese logic is mainly divided into two aspects: a study on Ming-Bian and a study on Hetuvidya. For the study on the theory of Ming-Bian, he mainly analyzes the thoughts of Confucius, Song Yin, Huishi, Zhuang Zhou, Gongsun Long and Ming-Bian thought of Motse and Mohism respectively. In the specific course of study, Du Guoxiang firstly discusses �Zheng Ming�(Rectification of Name), and then leads to the problem of concept and entity and the importance of adjusting the relationship between them. Confucius was the first one to put forward �Zheng Ming�(Rectification of Name) in the Pre-Qin scholars. However, his idea was covered with a distinct political ethical color. Song Yin School proposed a way to �Zheng Ming�(Rectification of Name). As an early representative of the Huang Lao School, his thought paid more attention to the role of psychological factors. Du thought Hui Shi and Zhuang Zhou were both representatives of Taoism. Hui Shi advocated the �He Tongyi�(Identity and Difference), and Zhuang Zhou argued that the right and wrong should be �Liang Xing�(which means there is no difference between right and wrong naturally). Xunzi was a representative figure of Confucianism, who put forward the question of �Ming�. Gongsun Long was a famous debater in ChunQiu Period and the Warring States Period, whose idea presented a pure logic color. Motse was the founder of Mohism. He proposed �San Biao Fa� which were the three standards to judge people's manners and speech. It has profound influence to the later Mohists. For the later Mohists' thought, Du Guoxiang mainly discusses on the theory of �debate� in Mohist Thought, including the content, purpose and function of �debate�, the methods and steps of �debate� and so on. Besides, Du Guoxiang has comprehensively analyzed the concept and judgment of law in Mohist Cannon. In addition, for the study on Hetuvidya, Du Guoxiang has made a study on several concepts of Ming-Bian. These concepts are: �Cun� and �Cang�, Pi Yu(Figure of Speech), �You Wu�(Things and Nothingness), �Tong Yi�(Identity and Difference) and �Lei�(classification). For the study of logic, Du Guoxiang expounds the difference between Chen Na's new Hetuvidya and the ancient Hetuvidya and three phase logic. Du Guoxiang simply explains that this logic theory is different from the western traditional logic syllogism theory, as it is rich in epistemology factors.Du Guoxiang's study of Chinese logic has the following characteristics: firstly, it makes �Mingshi�(Rectification of Name) view as the main line of the research ideas; Secondly, it adheres to the principle of unity of logic and epistemology; Thirdly, it advocates the research method of �Yi Mohist Huan Zhu Mohist�. The above three characteristics, on the one hand, have formed the characteristics of Du Guoxiang's study of the history of Chinese logic. On the other hand, they have been industriously implemented and conducted in the actual academic research. Du Guoxiang's thought about the study of the history of Chinese logic �Yi Mohist Huan Zhu Mohist�, formal logic and the ideas that Hetuvidya, �can only be used for reference, not for its substitution�, has played a positive role in promoting the formation of the new situation of Chines logic research since the end of the twentieth century.