소학과 대학, 타율적 윤리와 자율적 윤리

Abstract

Zhu-Xi said practicing Xiaoxue during ones early age to get back the lost heart-mind(放心) and to cultivate virtue later in Daxue forms ones base of examining loyalty and achieving tasks. and emphasized the importance of learning Xiaoxue. The main aim of studying in Daxue about how to examine loyalty and achieve tasks is to accomplish ones moral character. Therefore, generally it is believed that the relationship between Xiaoxue and Daxue is the cultivation and accomplishment of morality.

I also agree with the relationship between Xiaoxue and Daxue mentioned above. In this article, I focused on the idea that Zhu-Xis method of moral cultivation in Xiaoxue is different from his method of moral accomplishment in Daxue. At Xiaoxue, Zhu-Xi expected moral development by paying attention to behaving according to the moral standards already exist(typically etiquette). On the other hand, at Daxue, he expected moral accomplishment by emphasizing the examination of the meaning and appropriateness of those moral standards practiced until then.

Xiaoxue and Daxues study methods contrast with each other in terms of acceptance of existing moral standards. In the case of small children, when they accept and practice those existing moral standards, it is not easy to refer them to as autonomous even though they may not be under any physical or emotional compulsion. The reason is that the children did not really choose to do so. As a result, the process of encountering existing moral standards becomes necessary and only after this whole process is finished can we refer them to as autonomous. Moral cultivation and accomplishment in Xiaoxue and Daxue in the end means transition from heteronomous ethics to autonomous ethics and ethical subjectivity establishes during this process.