이이의 리통기국 이론의 형이상학적 결여(缺如)

다국어 초록 (Multilingual Abstract)

(1) Yi Yi constructed the theory of “The principle is universal, and the material force limits it”(PUML) through the controversy with Sung Horn. Yi’s theory is a modification of Gui Dae Seung’s theory that the material force (qi) arises, and the principle (li) rides on it. Yi developed Gui’s theory onto “the principle (li) which rides the material force (qi)”, and then upon PUML.
Yi went on the path to monism. Even though he spoke about the principle (li) and the material force (qi), he parenthesized li and leave qi. He denied the arousal of li, and went the way to approve the arousal of qi only. His method to make monism is that he include the four beginnings into the seven feelings, the original nature into physical nature. He defined that li has no form, no action, and no arousal; thus he virtually made li a non-being, leaving qi only. The moral mind (道心) and the human mind (人心) rotate around each other in a sequence so that they make one line.
In the case of the PUML theory, qi localizes li. Qi is a localizer, whereas li is a localized. As things turned out, li becomes the property of an individual thing. It is not the li of Zhuxi’s theory. It is a qi monism.
(2) As a result of the unification, the mind is qi. It is a theory of self-cultivation that we modify our physical constitution, so that the mind, which is qi, can accept li. Qi is the subject (mind), while li is the object. Li is the morals and rites (禮, convention and norms). It is the same as Xunzi’s evil nature theory, which contains the doctrine that changing one’s physical nature is necessary to practice one’s morals.
If Yi had developed his theory logically, then it would have become an empiricism. But he or his successor never did so.

참고문헌 (Reference)

• 1 이이, "율곡집" 한국 고전 번역원 1968
• 2 성혼, "우계집" 민족문화 추진회 2000
• 3 황준연, "역주 사단칠정 논쟁 1" 학고방 2009