本文從當代重視科學與知識論立場出發，深入科學基礎的數學之源頭，從「自然數起源的思想」（自然數序列第一項形成的背景）與「陽明理論表達系統的第一項」之「心體」概念相對照出發，運用數學家精確的推理成果觀察東西方文明各自的優點，進而反思儒學現代性的方向。全文探討分為四大部分，首先將從陽明的心體等理論的第一項概念，分析其知識觀的內涵。其次，以數學史的發展為中西比較的背景，先說明自然數的起源與當代數學的發展，闡述從數學危機觀察哲學的文字表達形式的限制。其三，將回溯儒學本文，分析「自然數起源的思想背景」及其與「儒家理論表達系統的第一項」的關連。最終，經由與陽明知識觀的比較，統合前述自然數與其表達的先天困境，檢視哲學的文字性表達的限制，進而反思儒學在數據時代之發展方向。

From the position of contemporary emphasis on science and epistemology, we delve into source of mathematics as the foundation of science; from the comparison between the original thought of natural numbers (the background against which the first element of the sequence of natural numbers is formed) and the first element of the expressive system of Wang Yang-ming’s theory, the conception of “mind-body,” we observe the strengths of eastern and western civilizations and, furthermore, contemplate the direction of Confucian modernity. This article is divided into four parts; for the first part, we analyze the epistemological content of Wang Yang-ming’s theory in terms of its first conception. Secondly, we compare Chinese and western civilizations against the history of mathematics by explaining the origin of natural numbers and the development of contemporary mathematics and elaborating on the possible limits of the verbal expression of philosophy from the perspective of mathematic crisis. Thirdly, going back to the texts of Confucianism, we analyze the “philosophical background of the origin of natural numbers” and its relationship with “the first element of the expressive system of Confucian theories.” And finally, comparing the original thought of natural numbers and Wang Yang-ming’s epistemology, we integrate the afore-mentioned natural numbers and the difficulties inherent in its expression, examine the possible limits of the verbal expression of philosophy, and then reflect on the direction of the development of Confucian modernity.