在北宋時期，有許多思想家開始重新探討傳統的天人感應說並且提出新的意見，理學家程頤可以說就是一個典型的代表。程頤的天人觀與北宋時期較為主流的傳統天人感應說有很大的不同。在其語錄中，程頤批評過天人感應說，認為漢儒並沒有掌握天人關係的真理。雖然如此，程頤還是接受天人感應說的一個主要預設：他認為人類的行為會直接引起災異的發生。本文認為程頤提出兩個理論來把災異和人事的關係與他的思想進行統整。他首先指出天人感應是通過理來運作，因此為了降低災異的頻率政府應該按照理來進行政事。此外，他承認有的災異與人事無關，為了減少這種災異的損害，他建議政府進行以民為本的政策。如果政府使人民教化並滿足他們衣食需求，人民可以避免災異的影響。本論認為程頤與其他的北宋思想家如歐陽修、王安石和釋契嵩同樣，承認天人感應說的政治作用並試著利用它來推動自己的政治理念。

During the Northern Song, several intellectuals began to reassess the merits of traditional correlative cosmology and advance new conceptions of the relationship between the cosmos and humanity. The pioneering Neo-Confucian philosopher, Cheng Yi 程頤, occupies an important position in this larger intellectual trend. As is well known, Cheng Yi’s conception of the relationship between the cosmos and humanity differed considerably from that proposed within correlative cosmology. In his recorded conversations, Cheng in fact critiqued correlative cosmology and asserted that the Han Confucians who propounded it had failed to grasp the true nature of the cosmos. Despite this, however, Cheng still accepted a key claim found in correlative thought; namely, that human conduct could disrupt the operation of the cosmos and initiate disasters. Cheng Yi proposed two theories that were designed to incorporate this claim into his philosophical system. First, he argued that stimulus and response operated through the mechanism of principle (li 理) as opposed to yinyang and the five phases. On the basis of this argument, he contended that the occurrence of disasters and anomalies could be reduced if the government abided by principle in its implementation of political policy. Second, he acknowledged that some disasters were natural occurrences, unrelated to human affairs. He maintained that the government could reduce the negative consequences arising from such natural disasters by focusing its efforts on providing for the welfare and education of the populace. It is argued here that, as was the case with several other Northern Song thinkers, Cheng Yi recognized the political utility of correlative cosmology and reinterpreted its doctrines in order to advance his political ideals.