嚴復一生用心於溝通中西最高的學理與學術理想，這種理念基本上表現在他的「道通為一」說之中。嚴復「道通為一」的思想，深受西方科學化與系統化的知識系統，以及西方學術體系所蘊含的「哲學性格」與「一體相通性」之啟發。他認識到邏輯與理性為西方一切學術之根本，並提出理性為東西理道之共通源頭的說法。提倡科學然而同時深受中國道儒兩家影響的嚴復，企圖將「道」、太極、邏各斯（logos），「理則」（rationality）、自然公例（natural law）等概念熔於一爐以完成格致正修齊治平一以貫之的理想。其中的根本困難在於西方理性主義所信據的理則，本為超越時空的普遍理念，與融合時空因素的「道」的概念相矛盾。傳統格致以至於治平的學術基礎，亦與西方之學術頗為不同。然而嚴復一方面接受了啟明主義（Enlightenment）式普遍理則的概念，一方面也深受天演學說、經驗論及歸納法邏輯的洗禮。他所理解的實證主義，其經驗主義之成分更大於理性主義。原本超越時空的普遍理則，因而加上時間、變化與空間的因素，而得以融入《易》與老莊式「一而能易，大而能化」的道論體系；其絕對性為之消解，而不違背於中國人兼重普遍與時空、共相與殊相的道論傳統。理性主義與經驗主義，普遍通則與時空因素，中國論道與西方論理的傳統，科、哲學與儒、道之學同時在嚴復的思想中並存，交織成一幅內涵深邃、豐富而又含藏衝突矛盾的圖像。他年輕時較重視普遍理則，後期卻較看重因時地而制宜的中國傳統道論，此思想之基本走向，非常值得注意。

Yen Fu tried hard to unite the highest priciples and ideals of Chinese and Western learning, and embodied this goal in his idea “Tao is one.” Highly influenced by the knowledge system constructed by Western science and inspired by the philosophical character and “oneness” of Western scholarship, he took reason and logic as the founation of entire Western scholarship and maintained that reason is the common caliber of both East and West. Having great respect toward both Western and classical Chinese learning, Yen Fu tried to integrate the ideas of Tao, Taiji, logos, rationality and natural law into one. The basic conflict lies in that the universal principles and laws held by reason originated in ideas that transcend time and space, while the idea of Tao is inseparable from time and space. However, Yen Fu not only accepted the idea of Enlightenment universality but also theory of evolution, British emiricism, and inductive logic. The positivism be adopted leans toward more to empiricism than to rationalism. These theories introduced the elements of time and space into transcendental ideas and universal law. The Enlightenment rationality was then integrated into the Chinese theory of Tao: “One that changes and encompasses everthing.” Rationalism and Empiricism, universal law and situational thinking, Chinese idea of Tao and Western idea of rationality, science, philosophy, Confucianism, and Taoism coexisted in his mind. The result is a complex and resplendent picture with rich, profound, and sometimes-conflicting connotations. In general, Yen Fu emphasized more on universal law and rationality in his early years and talked more about traditional Chinese idea of Tao in later years. This transition certainly requires our attention.