摘要
本文探討先秦道家諸子「物論」的內涵及其意義，指出「物」的問題恆貫穿於先秦道家思想當中，「物論」實可作為深入理解道家思想的一條線索。一方面，由道家諸子對「物」的相關問題的理解，說明各派理論其核心關懷之所在，闡明道家「物論」的不同類型；另一方面，試圖以「與物相關的基本問題」同時對先秦道家諸子的物論進行考察，作出一綜合性的、類型化的比較，以見道家諸子於「物論」之異同間所呈顯出之意義，並給予評騭。 第一章為緒論，說明本文的問題意識與研究方法，並對各章節之內容作一概述。 第二章討論道家支派的物論，首先說明何為「道家支派」，接著依序討論宋鈃、尹文的物論，彭蒙、田駢、慎到三子的物論，楊朱的物論，以及《列子》中論物之相關篇章。 第三章討論老子的物論，首先以《莊子‧天下》為起點，指出老子物論的核心關懷之所在，並說明其核心關懷復可分析性地展開為四種意義，呈顯出老子物論四重的義理向度，而每一向度復與其物論之核心關懷密切相關，乃理解老子物論之樞紐。 第四章討論莊子的物論，以《莊子》中由「氣化」與「物化」兩概念構成之複雜而緊密的義理結構，及以「物物」所含括的「理解物」與「應對物」雙重面向作為討論焦點，論證莊子的物論終可由「應物」、「物物」實踐之至極，而及於對「天」之複雜內涵的通透證知，再由此通透證知於「天」、「物」、「人」三者之互涉互應關係中，開放出生命之無限性。 第五章為結論，具體比較各家物論之差異及其關懷，並指出莊子的物論乃諸家物論中體系最浩大，思辨最精微，所涉層面最廣博，終極關懷最深至者。 莊子的物論乃真正能如實地理解物之真實，發見物之於人之生命境界之提升與觀物視角之擴展的價值，並肯定物與人之存在始終具體相連而能進行平等的互動，以至物我共化、物之生命與我之生命皆可開放出無限性之境地。
並列摘要
This thesis discusses the connotations and meanings of the Pre-Qin Taoism’s Theories of Things（物論）, indicating that the Pre-Qin Taoism scholars take the questions about things as the core in their thoughts, pointing out the Theories of Things can be considered a clue to deeply understand the Pre-Qin Taoism’s thoughts. By means of their understandings of the questions about things, this thesis will explain every Pre-Qin Taoism scholar’s core concern of Theory of Things, clarifying the different types of Theories of Things. Moreover, trying to examine every scholar’s Theory of Things with the basic questions about things as well, making a comprehensive, typed comparison, to see the meaning of the difference between the Pre-Qin Taoism scholars’ Theories of Things, and gives evaluation on it. The first chapter is introduction, I will illuminate problematic and research method of this thesis, and outline the content of every chapter. The second chapter discusses the Theories of Things of the Pre-Qin Taoism Tribes. Firstly, I will elucidate what is “the Pre-Qin Taoism Tribes”. Next, I will elaborate the Theories of Things of Song Xing（宋鈃）, Yin Wen（尹文）, Peng Meng（彭蒙）, Tian Pian（田駢）, Shen Dao（慎到）and Yang Zhu（楊朱）in sequence, as well as the discussion concerning things in Liezi . The third chapter discusses the Theory of Things of Laozi（老子）. First, I will point out the core concern of Laozi’s Theory of Things based on the“Tian xia（天下）” which the last essay in Zhuangzi. After that, I will expound that the core concern of Laozi’s Theory of Things can be interpreted as four meanings（four dimensions）in Laozi. And, I will elaborate the connotational dimensions contained by the four meanings of “wu”, suggesting there is a considerably close relationship between different dimensions and the core concern of Laozi’s Theory of Things. The fourth chapter discusses the Theory of Things of Zhuangzi（莊子）. First of all, I will focus on the philosophical structure composed of two concepts “Qi Hua（氣化）” and “Wu Hua（物化）”, as well as“to understand wu” and “to response wu”, the two dimensions of the meaning of“wu wu（物物）”, trying to confirm that by doing the practice of“to understand wu” and “to response wu”, human not only can understand the significance of “tian（天）” fully, but also can follow the interrelated relationship between “tian（天）”, “ren（人）” and “wu（物）”, to open up the unlimitedness of life. The fifth chapter is summary. I will specifically compare the difference and the core concern between the Pre-Qin Taoism scholars’ the Theories of Things, indicating that Zhuangzi’s Theory of Things, its system is the largest, it’s thought is the deepest, its aspects, and its core concern is the most profound. It is said that Zhuangzi’s Theory of Things can truly understand the reality of things, finding the value that things can improve the life realm of human and expand humans’ horizons for things, affirming that it is possible for human and things to interact equally each other, and ultimately, for things’ life and humans’ life, both can open up the realm of unlimitedness.