現代學者在詮釋傳統思想頗為借重西方理論，譬如透過康德道德哲學重新理解儒家的做法。此方法雖為儒家思想建立清晰的理論架構，而使其具有比肩西哲體系之規模，但在中西拴合過程中不免對傳統儒學的本質性有些犧牲，這問題在當代新子學的反思浪潮下正可作一檢視。康德道德哲學重理而輕情，對「法則」之尊崇為其主要特徵。其實踐法則以「普遍性」為首出之義，要求意志的決意原則排除對經驗材質的關注。此種理論型態不關注「存在」，和儒家重視存在情境的態度頗有差異。儒家道德強調情感上的人我感通，由於感通必須在「氣」中發動，其表現不免受到氣的限制而有遠近親疏的分別；因此立基於「孝悌」的儒家道德，在一定程度上是不能脫離材質考量的。如此的道德型態顯然與康德主張大有逕庭，將兩家思想等量齊觀就有削足適履之嫌。有鑒於此，本文嘗試以康德道德理論作為參照，藉此對顯出儒家倫理思想的特殊性，同時也為康德理論運用在儒家思想的解釋上，作出一些釐清與商榷。
Modern scholars usually use Western theories to explain traditional Chinese thoughts, such as reinterpreting Confucian thoughts through Kant's moral philosophy. This method establishes a clear theoretical framework for Confucianism and has a scale similar to that of Western philosophical systems. However, in the process of the connection between the two, it will inevitably weaken the essence of traditional Confucianism. This problem can be just examined in the wave of reflection of contemporary ＂New Interpretations of Philosophers＂ (新子學). Kant's moral philosophy values reason more than emotion, and ＂respect for the rule＂ is its main feature. Its practice rule takes universality as its core concept, and requires that the judgment of the will exclude empirical material. This theory type does not care about ＂existence＂, and it is quite different from Confucians' attitude of attaching importance to ＂existential situations＂. The Confucian morality emphasizes emotional communication, because emotional communication must be launched in the ＂existence field＂, its performance is inevitably limited, and it needs to distinguish the value difference between closeness and alienation; Therefore, Confucian morality based on ＂filial piety＂ cannot be separated from experience-material considerations. It is clear that such a moral pattern is very different from Kant's idea. If the two are mixed together, it is difficult to avoid understanding mistakes. Therefore, this article attempts to use Kant's moral theory as a reference object, to bring out the particularity of Confucian ethics thoughts, and to make some clarifications and deliberations for the application of Kant theory in the interpretation of Confucianism.
