Listen to this articleshènsī-míngbiàn 慎思明辨
Careful Reflection and Clear Discrimination
谨慎周密地思考，清晰明确地分辨。古人认为，人的成长包括五个阶段：博学（广博地学习），即收集信息，吸取知识；审问（详尽地追问），即提出问题，解除疑惑；慎思（谨慎周密地思考），即消化整理，融会贯通；明辨（清晰明确地分辨），即形成概念，择定结果；笃行（切实地实行），即将认知付诸实践，形成品格。这五个阶段大致可约为学习、思考、实践三个方面。“慎思明辨”就是思考，是由学习到实践的中间阶段。也就是说，学习与思考、学习与实践是相辅相成的；而思考则是学习的深入和提升，是实践的前导，是从学习到实践转化的关键所在。
It was thought in ancient China that a person matured through five stages: broad study for collecting information and acquiring knowledge, close examination for identifying problems and resolving doubts, careful reflection for absorbing and mastering knowledge, clear discrimination for developing concepts and reaching conclusions, and earnest practice for putting knowledge into practice and developing character. These stages can be roughly divided into three areas: learning, reflection, and practice. “Careful reflection and clear discrimination” describes the stage of reflection between learning and practice. It can also be said that study and reflection on the one hand and study and practice on the other complement each other, while reflection is a deepening and heightening of learning, a prerequisite for practice, and a key link between learning and practice.
引例 Citation：
◎博学之，审问之，慎思之，明辨之，笃行之。（《礼记·中庸》）
（广泛地学习，详尽地追问，谨慎周密地思考，清晰明确地判别，切实地实行。）
Learn broadly, examine closely, reflect carefully, discriminate clearly, and practice earnestly. (The Book of Rites)
