A Study On Mou Zongsan's Theory Of Self-negation Of Conscience

Mou Zongsan's theory of self-negation of conscience,aimed at establishing democratic politics and modern science.However,scholars argues fiercely about the strange theory.To summarize and re-understand this theory is is of great significance to promote the development of Chinese philosophy and strengthen the construction of Chinese culture.The development process of this theory can be divided into early,middle and late stages.The end of the 1940s is the proposing period,and Mou used the concept of self-negation to explain the metaphysical basis and intrinsic structure of cognitive mind.In the 1950s,Mou extended the theory into the field of historical culture,and expounds it from the transition of rational spirit and the establishment of cognitive subject and political subject.After 1960s,Mou Integrated Kant's transcendental philosophy into Wang Yangming's philosophy of conscience,established a system of two layers of ontology,and deepened the theory of self-negation of conscience from ontology.The theory of self-negation of conscience is an intrinsic part of the system of two layers of ontology.My thesis expounds the basal opposition of epistemology and the process of self-negation of conscience,and discusses the self-negation of conscience within the system of One Mind Generates Two Worlds.Persistent consciousness plays an important role in the theory of self-negation of conscience.In Mou's opinion,consciousness is a homogeneous flux,and the foundation of its objectification is transcendental apperception.Apperception activities is an gegenstandliche activity,which generates appearances and cognize them.But transcendental apperception is attributed to the transcendental unity of self-consciousness,that is self-persistence of consciousness.Because of self-persistence,consciousness,or cognitive mind is an ego,which is formal being.Therefore,consciousness has three unified meanings:homogeneous flux,self-persisting and apperception,which are all express the intuitus persisting.Consciousness unfold itself to be kinds of cognitive ability and generates appearances along things-in-themselves,establishing phenomenal ontology.In Mou's system of One Mind Generates Two Worlds,Persistent consciousness and phenomenal ontology are contained by noumenal conscience upon them.The noumenal conscience(moral reason)has three meanings:cutting off the rivers,pervading the universe and following the waves,first two of which can be expressed as two proposition of Yangming:Mind Is Principle and Nothing Exists beyond the Mind.According this two proposition,Mou presents two sets of arguments to demonstrate of intellectual intuition and establish moral metaphysics.One is about free will and moral affection,and another is about transcendental distinction of appearance and things-in-themselves.Consciousness generates appearance and establishes phenomenal ontology,and conscience appears things-in-themselves and establishes noumenal ontology.The relationship between this two layers is immanent transcendent,that is,thawing the transcendental distinction of phenomena and noumena to be harmonious ji(paradoxical adaequation).Therefore,nomenal conscience,as the immanent transcendent free unlimited mind,will not leave consciousness,and has two functions:the dominating function is appears things-in-themselves and the affiliated one is negativing itself and converting to be persistent consciousness,which generates appearances.This is:One Mind Generates Two Worlds.Therefore,self-negation of conscience means realizing transcendental distinction and generating persistent consciousness from harmonious ji(paradoxical adaequation)of the nomenal conscience.Because of harmonious ji(paradoxical adaequation),the self-negation(self-persisting)is just no-persistent persisting,and Inherent in the perfect teaching of traditional Chinese philosophy.