Review: Confucius and Mozi Psychology part of law argument Psychology part of law argument theory of 人性 theory of 人性 Human nature mixed social (not Good ) Human nature mixed social (not Good ) Interpretive argument applies to 禮 li ritual Interpretive argument applies to 禮 li ritual 正 名 zheng-ming rectify names detail 正 名 zheng-ming rectify names detail Guides application of 禮 li ritual in action Guides application of 禮 li ritual in action Requires 仁 ren humanity in sage (and us?) Requires 仁 ren humanity in sage (and us?) Or guides in wrong way Or guides in wrong way

Debate With Mozi Tradition can be wrong Tradition can be wrong Argument by example Argument by example Presupposing Confucian attitudes Presupposing Confucian attitudes Therefore need a standard to select Therefore need a standard to select Implies following tradition is natural Implies following tradition is natural Question is which tradition? Modified? Question is which tradition? Modified? Non-social Standard Non-social Standard (otherwise could leave) (otherwise could leave) Inference to 天 tian nature:sky standard Inference to 天 tian nature:sky standard Natural guide to prefer 利 to 害 li-hai benefit- harm Natural guide to prefer 利 to 害 li-hai benefit- harm

Questions No quiz this week Coffee Tutorial today

Result: Utilitarianism Test of a dao is general well beingTest of a dao is general well being Utility an anti-tradition moralityUtility an anti-tradition morality Same in the West—diff traditionSame in the West—diff tradition Implies moral judgments that conflict with conventional normsImplies moral judgments that conflict with conventional norms Pre-marital sex, recreational drugs, prostitution, homosexual actsPre-marital sex, recreational drugs, prostitution, homosexual acts Kill poor people (more avg happiness)Kill poor people (more avg happiness) No birth control (more total happiness)No birth control (more total happiness)

Moral Reform Impasse Your standard must be wrongYour standard must be wrong It implies immoral actions are rightIt implies immoral actions are right No, it shows they are immoralNo, it shows they are immoral Traditionalist begs the question at issueTraditionalist begs the question at issue What is the correct moralityWhat is the correct morality

Partial Solution Collectively self-defeating moralities Collectively self-defeating moralities The soldier story: The soldier story: Confucian morality recommends universal (utilitarian) attitudes in others Confucian morality recommends universal (utilitarian) attitudes in others Cannot recommend itself as the public collective morality Cannot recommend itself as the public collective morality Western Hobbes parallel Western Hobbes parallel Egoism is a self-defeating morality Egoism is a self-defeating morality I would be worse off as an egoist if everyone had my moral attitudes I would be worse off as an egoist if everyone had my moral attitudes Weakness like Socratic method Weakness like Socratic method Only tells what is wrong, not what is right Only tells what is wrong, not what is right Premise: existing attitude Premise: existing attitude Conclusion: different attitude Conclusion: different attitude

Yang Zhu 楊朱 Ethical egoism Ethical egoism Distinguish psychological egoism and ethical egotism Distinguish psychological egoism and ethical egotism No psychological egoism in ancient China No psychological egoism in ancient China 天 Tian nature:sky's mandate in our constitution 天 Tian nature:sky's mandate in our constitution 氣 qi breath medical theory? 氣 qi breath medical theory? Mencius 辯 (disputes) to answer Yang-Mo Mencius 辯 (disputes) to answer Yang-Mo

Ethics: Sub-fields (for Mencius) Divisions: Divisions: Metaethics Metaethics Epistemology, semantics, objectivity of ethics Epistemology, semantics, objectivity of ethics Moral psychology Moral psychology Tendency to be ethical, selfish, religious, etc Tendency to be ethical, selfish, religious, etc Normative theory Normative theory Systematic answer to "what should I do“ Systematic answer to "what should I do“ The highest “should” premise from which all moral conclusions follow The highest “should” premise from which all moral conclusions follow

Mencius 孟子 Twin challenge of Yang and Mo Twin challenge of Yang and Mo Otherwise would not 辯 bian distinction dispute Otherwise would not 辯 bian distinction dispute Adapts Yang Zhu's idea to answer Mozi Adapts Yang Zhu's idea to answer Mozi Alternative account of “natural will” Alternative account of “natural will” Inborn human dispositions/tendencies 性 Inborn human dispositions/tendencies 性 Shares the authority of 天 tian nature:sky Shares the authority of 天 tian nature:sky Derivation from inborn capacity 性 Derivation from inborn capacity 性

Strategy: Rituals as Natural Origin of burial 禮 li ritual story Origin of burial 禮 li ritual story Spontaneous (unsocialized) reactions Spontaneous (unsocialized) reactions 禮 li ritual conventions emerge from natural responses 禮 li ritual conventions emerge from natural responses 天 tian nature:sky given patterns 天 tian nature:sky given patterns Where? Born in the 心 xin heart-mind Where? Born in the 心 xin heart-mind

Four Beginnings 端 The 心 xin heart-mind has four impulse patterns The 心 xin heart-mind has four impulse patterns Lead to the four classic virtues Lead to the four classic virtues 側隱 compassion  仁 benevolence 側隱 compassion  仁 benevolence 羞惡 shame  義 yi morality 羞惡 shame  義 yi morality 辭 讓 deference  禮 li ritual 辭 讓 deference  禮 li ritual 是非 shi/fei this:right/not this:wrong  智 zhi wisdom 是非 shi/fei this:right/not this:wrong  智 zhi wisdom

Stories: Child by the well and 仁 ren humanity Child by the well and 仁 ren humanity Problems as answer to Mozi Problems as answer to Mozi Problems as a defense of Confucianism Problems as a defense of Confucianism Strong and Weak versions Strong and Weak versions Weak is probably shared by Yang-Mo Weak is probably shared by Yang-Mo Strong is implausible for 禮 li ritual – where it is needed Strong is implausible for 禮 li ritual – where it is needed Mozi's influence -- 仁 ren humanity 義 yi morality Mozi's influence -- 仁 ren humanity 義 yi morality Interesting problem for 義 yi morality Interesting problem for 義 yi morality

Developmental Innatism: Developmental Innatism: Plant analogy Plant analogy Morality not fully known at birth Morality not fully known at birth Soil = economic climate Soil = economic climate Water + nourishment = self- reflection Water + nourishment = self- reflection Valuing one’s inclination Valuing one’s inclination Seed = innate tendencies Seed = innate tendencies The spontaneous, pre-social reactions The spontaneous, pre-social reactions Sprout = beginning reactions Sprout = beginning reactions Weeds = selfish desires Weeds = selfish desires Problem of evil Problem of evil

Sagehood Ideal Banyan tree = sagehood Banyan tree = sagehood Universal concern Universal concern Flood-like 浩 然之氣 qi breath Flood-like 浩 然之氣 qi breath Heart and 智 zhi wisdom responsiveness Heart and 智 zhi wisdom responsiveness Language too coarse, imprecise Language too coarse, imprecise Situational shi-fei this-not this 是 非 Situational shi-fei this-not this 是 非 Combine judgment and inclination Combine judgment and inclination Spontaneous and natural Spontaneous and natural 氣 qi breath link ? Unclear 氣 qi breath link ? Unclear

Two Principles Link fact & duty: Link fact & duty: "Is-ought": “is” does not imply “ought” "Is-ought": “is” does not imply “ought” Undermines appeal to nature Undermines appeal to nature "Ought-can:" ought implies can "Ought-can:" ought implies can Is moral reform possible Is moral reform possible Can't get an 'ought' from an 'is' Can't get an 'ought' from an 'is' Why follow the heart? Why follow 天 tian nature:sky Why follow the heart? Why follow 天 tian nature:sky Distinguishing feature Distinguishing feature Health (like finger) Health (like finger)

Mencius and Daoism Prefers not to 辯 bian distinction dispute Prefers not to 辯 bian distinction dispute Doesn’t like language Doesn’t like language Doesn’t need language: intuition Doesn’t need language: intuition Foolish man and plants Foolish man and plants Don’t force growth with theory (language and distinctions) Don’t force growth with theory (language and distinctions)

Daoism: Early History Hermits and Yang Zhu 楊朱 : No theory of 道 Hermits and Yang Zhu 楊朱 : No theory of 道 First theoretical Daoist: Shen Dao 慎 到 First theoretical Daoist: Shen Dao 慎 到 Natural performance dao guide 道 Natural performance dao guide 道 Sum of all actual performance 道 dao guides is the great dao 大 道 Sum of all actual performance 道 dao guides is the great dao 大 道 You will follow 大 道 —no knowledge of 道 needed You will follow 大 道 —no knowledge of 道 needed