若我們將教育工作設定在以「育人」為主要目標，則我們在探討今日的「人」應具備的性格、其教育的成果、 及表現的智慧應該是什麼？今日世界需要的是什麼樣的智慧？為什麼？這是筆者首先要回答的問題。其次，筆者主張，孔子教育思想具備此種智慧，為什麼？也就是孔子思想表現出此種智慧，此種智慧的內含有哪些特質呢？ 孔子思想具備生態智慧的基礎在那裏？本文即由生態智慧的意義，Bateson思考的生態智慧，其含蘊的特性開始，探討孔子思想中的自然觀與孔子的生態智慧二方面。 Bateson的論據在分析生態智慧的知識基礎，此種智慧展現的特性，知識的遞迴形式，知識漸漸遠離領域而成抽象地圖的隱喻，以及認知到資訊只是造成差異的差異，這些特性在我們培養生態智慧時要認知的。孔子不是位理論家，而是位實踐家。Bateson在論述生態智慧的理論基礎之後，也提出生態智慧所需要培養的知識及認知，包括傳統的生態智慧；人與地與自然的直接關連，非抽象的知識；概念的價值在於有助於永續生存；個人主義相對於人際關係的重視；以及口語溝通所產生之深入相互情感表達，產生的生態文化傳統。從這幾點來看，孔子的教育思想與自然觀明顯的具備了環境哲學所需要的生態智慧。

Based on Bateson’s ideas of ecological intelligence that can be learned through the third level of learning, I will argue that Confucius’s teaching falls in this category. When one goes through the third level of learning, the “Learning III” called by Bateson, one would obtain abilities to understand and act on ecological knowledge that one learns and forms ecological knowledge which shows different characteristics. These include recursive understanding, recognizing abstract forms of modern knowledge, and acknowledging information without touching people’s daily grounds. Although Confucius was not a theorist, he did have some thoughts on nature and ethical actions toward nature. I maintain that the concept of ecological intelligence has been anticipated and carried out by Chinese philosophers such as Lao-Tzu and Confucius. Their thoughts are based on the teachings of I-Ching (The Book of Change(s). All those thoughts make up parts of the teaching practice of the Great Teacher Confucius; they can be found in writings of his disciples and his commentaries of I-Ching. Thus, based on Bateson’s ideas of ecological intelligence, it is necessary for today’s educational philosophy to promote Confucius’ teaching thoughts.