Survey of Confucius＇s Approach to Expediency  

作　　者：LU Youcai 

机构地区：[1]Department of Library,Henan Institute of Engineering,Zhengzhou 451191,China

出　　处：《Frontiers of Philosophy in China》2012年第2期244-254,共11页中国哲学前沿（英文版）

摘　　要：Confucius held that expediency means adjusting to changing circumstances, not necessarily going along with or against anything, having a sense of propriety about times and measures, and doing things in their proper time and manner. However, expediency does not mean doing whatever one likes without any principle; instead, it means taking benevolence and righteousness as criteria and acting accordingly. In Confucius＇s opinion, one should cultivate benevolence internally and act with righteousness externally, weigh importance and unimportance, measure advantages and disadvantages, and not ＂set the mind either for anything, or against anything,＂ pursuing ＂what the heart desires, without transgressing what is right.＂ In this way, he would keep to benevolence without deviating from it, act expediently without despising any principles, and attain a dialectical unification of expediency and principles.Confucius held that expediency means adjusting to changing circumstances, not necessarily going along with or against anything, having a sense of propriety about times and measures, and doing things in their proper time and manner. However, expediency does not mean doing whatever one likes without any principle; instead, it means taking benevolence and righteousness as criteria and acting accordingly. In Confucius＇s opinion, one should cultivate benevolence internally and act with righteousness externally, weigh importance and unimportance, measure advantages and disadvantages, and not ＂set the mind either for anything, or against anything,＂ pursuing ＂what the heart desires, without transgressing what is right.＂ In this way, he would keep to benevolence without deviating from it, act expediently without despising any principles, and attain a dialectical unification of expediency and principles.

关 键 词：CONFUCIUS quan EXPEDIENCY BENEVOLENCE RIGHTEOUSNESS FLEXIBILITY 

分 类 号：N031[自然科学总论—科学技术哲学] B222.2[哲学宗教—中国哲学]