羅光承西方傳統哲學視形上學為第一哲學的講法，認為宋明理學家的核心思想乃在論究人與事物存在的性理，亦即形上理據。他舉出理學家在形上學有關宇宙論方面提出太極、陰陽之類的概念範疇；在存有論的存有者方面則論及道與器、理與氣等概念範疇，在人性生命機能方面論述了性、理、心、情、才等概念範疇，他認為這些概念範疇皆屬於對實體本性的討論，亦屬於形上學的課題，這些學說構成了中國哲學中的形上學，宋明理學所論述的天人性命道德問題不只有人倫道德的學說意義且有形上學的向度，因此能建立道統，影響後世深遠且獲致中國歷史、哲學與文化的地位。然而，宋明理學講心與性和人的德行實踐究竟有何密切的相互關係，顯然，朱熹和王陽明的心論構成兩種理學的範型。本文擬以「心」論為主題探討他對朱熹與王陽明所做的對比性研究。
Inheriting the western tradition of seeing metaphysics as the first philosophy, Lo Kuang believed that the central thought of Neo-Confucians' philosophy lied in the inquiry about the natural principles of the existence of human beings and things , that is, the metaphysical grounds. He pointed out that Neo-Confucians brought up the ideas such as tai-chi and yin-yang in terms of the cosmological aspect of metaphysics, addressed the ideas of tao and instruments, li and chi in terms of beings as part of ontology, and made statements about nature, li, mind, affection and talent with regards to human nature and vital functions. In Lo's mind, all these ideas were part of the discussion about ontological nature and a topic of metaphysics as well as constituted the metaphysics in Chinese philosophy. The issues of heaven and man along with life and morality in Neo-Confucianism had not only ethical and moral but also metaphysical dimensions, which were why Neo-Confucianism could build profoundly influential orthodoxy and become important in Chinese history, philosophy and culture. However, Zhu Xi's and Wang Yang-ming's theories of mind constituted the two different paradigms of Neo-Confucianism in its discussion about mind, nature and the virtual practice of human beings. Here in this article we intend to inquire Lo's comparative study of Zhuxi and Wang Yang-ming.
