《老子》「正言若反」之解釋與重建

The Interpretation and Reconstruction of Laozi’s “Straightforward Words Seem Backwards”

曾珮琦(Pei-Chi Tseng)

指導教授 ： 王邦雄

淡江大學/文學院/中國文學系碩士班/碩士(2009年)

https://doi.org/10.6846/TKU.2009.01126

摘要

本文的目的在於：嘗試對《老子》「正言若反」一詞進行意義的理解與解釋的工作。尋找這個詞彙在《老子》中的定位，並以此展開《老子》的義理研究工作。
本文採用古典解釋學的方法，從語意分析與義理分析的角度，展開「正言若反」的哲學分析。發現「正言若反」包含了三個問題：第一，「道」的表述問題。「道」是不能使用語言來表達，因為語言是有限的，無法表達無限的「道」。但是離開語言《老子》亦無法表達其思想，因此《老子》仍必須使用語言來表達「道」。所以，他設計了「正言若反」這種特殊的表達方式，試圖超越語言的有限性，指向不可言說的「道」。第二，工夫論的問題。當「反」解做「返回」的意義時，所表示的意義是返回主觀心境做修養工夫，唯有透過主體修證才能體現「道」的境界。第三，政治哲學的問題。「正言若反」一詞所出現的語言脈絡，討論的是如何成為一國之君的問題，這是屬於政治哲學的問題。且在《老子》其他討論政治哲學的篇章中，也多以「正言若反」的方式來表達。所以，「正言若反」也包含了政治哲學的問題。
本文的研究成果：首先，透過《老子•七十八章》的分析，釐清「正言若反」一詞的意義，及其所涵蘊的問題性質。其次，證成「正言若反」是解讀《老子》的關鍵性鑰匙。

關鍵字

老子 ； 正言若反 ； 解釋學

並列摘要

The main objective of this paper is to try to understand the meaning and give an insight to Laozi’s “straightforward words seem backwards”. It also attempts to search for the context under which this term is being used in Laozi, thereby starting a research work on Laozi’s philosophy.
By using the classic hermeneutics mode of the study, the author provides a philosophical analysis of “straightforward words seem backwards” by ways of lexical analysis and philosophy of principles analysis. Three questions can be raised on “Straightforward words seem backwards”: First, the question of conveying the meaning of “Tao”. “Tao” cannot be fully expressed in words, as words are inherently limiting while “Tao” has transcendental Being. However, without words Laozi cannot put across its ideas and so words are still used to express “Tao”. To overcome the limit of languages, Laozi coins the special term “straightforward words seem backwards”, thereby trying to express directly the intrinsic meaning of the inexpressible “Tao”. Second, the theory of cultivation of the self problem. When “backwards” translates to “return”, it means returning to oneself to do cultivation of the self, which, when consciously carried out, is the only way to finally realize the state of “Tao”. Third, the philosophy of political problem. “Straightforward words seem backwards” is used to discuss the problem on how to become to a sovereign, based on the context under which this phrase appears in Laozi. Laozi also uses “straightforward words seem backwards” mode of expression, when he discusses philosophy of politics in other chapters of Laozi. Therefore we know “straightforward words seem backwards” include philosophy of political problem. Two conclusions can be drawn from the study: Firstly, by analyzing the chapter of seventy-eight in Laozi we clearly understand the meaning of “Straightforward words seem backwards” and its implications of the problem. Secondly, the author demonstrates “Straightforward words seem backwards” is the key to interpretation in Laozi.

並列關鍵字

Laozi ； straightforward words seem backwards ； hermeneutics

參考文獻

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