本文旨在對於韓非之「人性」觀點予以探究，並討論其是否為「性惡」之主張，為能深入此一主題，擬先就先秦時期「人性善惡」之論予以耙梳，以之對照於韓非「人性」之說，欲以凸顯後者人性論點之特色。 首先探討韓非「自為心」的人性觀點：韓非認為利欲之心乃是人的普遍本性，而利欲之心則表現為「好利惡害」的行為傾向，亦因而主張人與人之間皆為「以計算之心相待」的關係，即其所謂「自為心」也，並以之為人的行為之最重要動機。 次論韓非人性論在政治思想中的運用：韓非所關注者在於政治問題，其對於人性的觀察，目的在於因應人性而治國，所謂「凡治天下，必因人情。」因此，認為人性既是好利惡害，則君主當因應人性，以操賞罰之柄為治國的必要手段。 再就韓非人性論是否為「性惡論」予以評論：韓非並非如其師荀子一般認為人性為「惡」而需要教化，反而認為人君應利用人性之好惡以治國，因此，就韓非而言，人性實為政治上之工具，屬於工具價值而非道德價值，故韓非不似孟、荀以道德判斷而論證人性之「善」、「惡」，因此，韓非並非「性惡」論者。

This paper is intended to explore Han Fei Zi’s views about human nature and discuss whether his doctrine was oriented to the claim that human nature is originally evil. To deal with this topic profoundly, we first sort out the doctrines about human nature as either good or evil from in Pre-qin Period, and then compare them with Han Fei Zi’s doctrine so as to highlight the features of the latter. First, we explore one of Han’s concepts about human nature, “the heart of ontonomy.” The desire for profit, he thought, is part of the universal nature and expressed in the people’s behavior of “preferring profit to harm.” Therefore he claimed that the relationships between people were based on calculation, which was also the most important motivation of people’s behaviors. Second, we deal with the application of Han’s doctrine in political thoughts. Han was concerned with politics, and his observation about human nature was meant for the king to govern the state accordingly. Since “preferring profit to harm” is part of human nature, the king was supposed to cater to it and use punishment and reward as a necessary strategy of ruling. Regarding whether Han Fei Zi’s doctrine of human nature claimed human nature to be originally evil, unlike like his master Xun Zi, who assumed human nature to be evil and required cultivation, Han believed that the king was supposed take advantage of the good and the evil of human nature in his ruling. Accordingly, to Han, human nature was indeed a political tool of instrumental rather than moral values. In contrast with Mencius and Xun Zi, who judged the good or evil of human nature in terms of morality, Han saw human nature from an instrumental perspective.