• The Journal of Korean Philosophical History
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• no.25
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• pp.167-196
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• 2009

Youlgok's thoughts on mind are represented both in his one-road theory of mind, nature, emotion and will and in his one-way theory of Li riding on a dynamic Ki. The one-road theory has two meanings. First, it means that mind, nature, emotion and will are not separate things, but those three things other than mind belong to mind, which only different phases of mind. Second, it means that human desire and moral will, inborn nature and dispositional nature, four clues and seven emotions are not sets of mind opposing each other forever, but sets of mind which can be sublated in the end. The one-way theory of Li riding on a dynamic Ki explains the relation of mind and nature in terms of Li and Ki. In Youlgok's theory, Ki(mind) is the subject of operating dynamics and Li(nature) is the content of operated results. Nature appeared through operating mind is emotion. Li riding on a dynamic Ki means both that Li superintends Ki(operates Ki's standard), and that it realizes itself through Ki. In a word, mind is the subject realizing nature, and mind operates under the control of nature. In this way, Youlgok pays attention on both Li's norm and Ki's dynamic.