本文以「古典哲學」之名，來指稱並說明我國春秋末葉至西漢初期哲學的發展。我國古典哲學的發展，是一個從春秋時代開始的人文徹底反省的過程，這一個發展一直延續到西漢淮南王劉安死後，漢武帝獨尊儒術而使學術發展向經學研究轉向為止。本文試圖由帛書「老子」、竹簡「老子」、竹簡「文子」等等出土文獻與傳世文獻的對比研究為例，並由其中豐富且多面向的哲學意涵，來對上述看法作一分析。

　　　　　This article takes classic philosophy as a starting point to explain the development of philosophy in China during the waning years of the Spring and Autumn period and the advent of the Western Han Dynasty. The development of classic philosophy in China started as a thorough reflection on humanity during the Spring and Autumn period. This development continued till the death of King Liu An of Wei Nan during the Western Han. He was isolated in his respect for Confucianism and his advocacy of scholarship. This article contrasts the literary archeological discoveries of the Lao Zi Silk Texts, Lao Zi Bamboo Texts and the Wen Zi Bamboo Texts and traditional renderings of the texts, and uses of their abundant philosophical connotations in analyzing the above mentioned viewpoints.