This thesis examined Wang Yang-ming"s view point of the investigation of things(格物). Chu Hsi and Wang thought of the investigation of things as the beginning point of study, and both of them regarded ultimate purpose of study as to become a sage samely. But, they understood the investigation of things in a totally different way. Chu and Wang"s these different opinions resulted from their distinctive educational points of view. The stages of beginner and sage differently, and the methodology for being sage were perceived differently by them. In other words, they had distinctive perspective of the learner"s stage and educational goal.
Chu clung to his position that one must know before he can act. He maintained his opinion that the first consideration to become a sage was the external researches such as reading and studying. So, Chu considered that exerting the mind to the utmost(盡心), knowing one"s nature(知性), and knowing Heaven(知天) were equivalent to the investigation of things and the extension of knowledge(致知) as the knowledge domain; that preserving the mind(存心), nourishing one"s nature(養性), and serving Heaven(事天) were equivalent to the sincerity of the will(誠意), the rectification of the mind(正心), and the cultivation of the personal life(修身) as the action domain; that not allowing any double-mindedness regardless of the longevity of brevity of life but cultivating the personal life while waiting for fate to take its own course(夭壽不貳修身以俟) were the perfection of knowledge and the complete realization of humanity as the parallel advance domain of knowledge and action, all of which are matters pertaining to the sage.
Wang, however, are diametrically opposed to those th those of Chu. Exerting the mind to the utmost, knowing one"s nature, and knowing Heaven are understood as matters known from birth and are practiced naturally and easily(生知安行). They are perceived as matters pertaining to the sage. Preserving the mind, nourshing one"s nature, and serving Heaven are understood as matters learned through study and practiced for their advantage(學知而行). They are perceived as matters pertaining to the worthy. Not allowing any double-mindedness regardless of the longevity of brevity of life but cultivating the personal life while waiting for fate to take its own course are understood as matters learned through hard work and practiced with effort and difficulty(困知勉行). They are perceived as matters pertaining to the student. Wang suggest the way to become a sage as the sincerity. His important studies are not the intellectual, epistemological studies, but the rectifying study of one"s mind or intention sincerely . So, Wang reinterpreted the investigation of things as the rectifying one"s mind or intention(格意). And, his the conception of knowledge contains the conception of action. He clung to his position that the unity of knowledge and action.

본 논문은 양명이 격물을 재정의한 이유가 다름 아닌 공부론적 혹은 교육학적 문제인식에서 나왔다는 것을 밝히고자 한다. 양명은 주희와 동일하게 성인됨을 제일의(第一義)로 파악하지만, 입문하수처(入門下手處)인 격물에 대해 다른 입장을 취한다. 이러한 입장차는 사실상 교육학적 문제의식에서 출현한 것이다. 양명은 주희와는 다른 독자적인 학자·현인·성인의 경지와 성인됨의 방법론을 지니고 있었다. 학습자의 현재 위치와 학습자가 도달해야 할 목표지점과 학습자가 해나가야 할 공부법에 대한 독자적인 이해방식을 지닌 것이었다.
주희는 선지후행(先知後行)의 입장에 서서, 독서와 강학과 같은 여러 가지 외적 탐구를 통해 현실의 갖가지 양상들에 대한 치밀한 이해가 선결되어야 한다고 생각했다. 때문에 진심(盡心)·지성(知性)·지천(知天)을 격물·치지라는 지(知)의 영역으로 놓았다. 그는 지(知)의 완성이 이루어진 이후에 행(行)의 영역인 존심(存心)·양성(養性)·사천(事天)이란 성의(誠意)·정심(正心)·수신(修身)의 단계를 지나, 성인의 경지인 요수불이수신이사(夭壽不貳修身以俟)라는 지행병진(知行竝進)의 단계로 나아갈 것을 요청하였다.
반면 양명은 진심·지성·지천을 생지안행(生知安行)하는 성인의 경지로, 존심·양성·사천을 학지이행(學知利行)하는 현인(賢人)의 경지로, 요수불이수신이사를 곤지면행하는 학자의 경지로 파악했다. 그는 성인이 되기 위한 조건으로 성(誠)의 공부를 제안한다. 그에게 진정 중요한 공부는 지적(知的)·인식론적(認識論的) 측면의 공부가 아니라, 내면적의도 즉 의(意)를 성실하게 바로잡는[格] 공부였다. 때문에 양명은 격물을 격의(格意)로 재해석한다.