This chapter is Confucius' exposition of the ways to gain true knowledge. Since knowledge is the basis of righteousness, and righteousness occupies an important position in Confucius' theory, it is very important to acquire true knowledge.
The literal focus of this chapter is these four words: knowledge, ignorance, thinking and danger. So let's explain these four words separately first: learning is learning, focusing on learning and understanding, which is knowledge; Thinking is thinking, focusing on discrimination and judgment, and it is deductive knowledge; Wang used to be a snare, which means cheating and containing, but also confusing and confusing; Almost means danger, anxiety and fatigue.
Combining the meanings of these four words, we can have a clear understanding of this chapter. Without our own discrimination and judgment, we are easily blinded and restricted by the thoughts of our predecessors. Although many predecessors' thoughts are valuable and correct, they may be incorrect or have unanswered questions. Therefore, if you are blinded and restricted by the thoughts of predecessors, you will inevitably fall into confusion. On the contrary, many questions have been answered by predecessors. But in the process of answering, they went astray and went through hardships to get the correct answer. If you only rely on your own thinking and don't know how to choose the method, you may go astray like your predecessors, leading to the danger of wasting energy and being possessed.
Therefore, paying equal attention to learning and thinking is the significance of this chapter, and it is also a good way to establish true knowledge and one of Confucius' research methods.
Secondly, let's take a look at another similar but somewhat contradictory account in The Analects. In Wei Linggong, Confucius said: I try not to eat for a day and stay up all night to think; It's no use learning (Confucius said: I used to eat all day, stay up late and spend all my time thinking, but I didn't get any benefits; On the surface there seems to be a feeling that learning is more important than thinking. In fact, there are two points that need careful attention in this chapter: the first point is the word "taste", which means once, so this chapter should only refer to one or two learning experiences; Second, in fact, the whole chapter only emphasizes thinking but not learning, which wastes time and energy. Strictly speaking, it is only the second half of this chapter, and learning is not more important than thinking.
Finally, let's look at another chapter in The Analects, which is a supplement to this chapter. As a political article, Confucius said: Reviewing the past and learning the new can serve as a teacher (Confucius said: read the classics extensively, review what you have learned, and then gain new insights from them, and try your best to absorb new knowledge in order to achieve mastery. Only in this way can you be called a teacher.
In addition to paying equal attention to learning and thinking, actively absorbing new knowledge is also a way to expand the field of true knowledge. Of course, in the process of absorbing new knowledge, we must pay attention to the principle of paying equal attention to learning and thinking, so as to obtain correct new knowledge.