湛甘泉為明代重要心學人物之一，其思考型態為理一圓融，並以「隨處體認天理」做為學問宗旨，在此學問大頭腦之下，對於《大學》的工夫，特別重視「格物」，認為心雖為吾人生命的主宰，但並非可以偏枯於內，必須落實在生命場域，以真實生命實踐之，與陽明良知學有明顯教法上的差異，較之更重視客觀性的一面，在心學體系之中，實有其特殊的地位。

Chan Kan-Chuan is a main character of philosophy of mind in the Ming Dynasty. His pattern of thinking is “ The Unitary and The Integration”, and subject of learning is “Experiencing Heavenly Principle Everywhere”. Under the viewpoint of thinking, “Investigation of Things and Pursuit of Knowledge” is particularly respect of gongfu to “Great Learning”. It considered that although the heart dominates human life, the heart training should be not the whole shoot to mind. The heart should to be practiced in the life field and performed by true life. Compared with “Wang Yang-ming's Theory of Liang-chih”, Chan’s teach method is quite obvious that more respect for the aspect of objectivity. It had special importance in system of philosophy of mind.