Mencius

Confucianism and Taoism are two of the most prevailing philosophies in Asia, even if they seem to contradict each other. Confucius asks us to live a very structured life in accordance with li, which is right action. Taoism allows for many different viewpoints, and would probably be accepting of Confucianism even though it seems to contradict Taoism. Taoists believe there are many ways to live and view life, and no one is better than the other. Li was Confucius’ idea of the correct way to live.…

Mencius (372-289 BCE), worried about the harsh contracts between the ideal of a unified, peaceful, hierarchical feudal kingdom and the reality of nearly constant warfare between independent feudal states in which the large and powerful preyed upon and absorbed the smaller and weaker states (Mencius, On Human Nature). As a result, he adopted the belief that “all human beings have a mind that cannot bear to see the sufferings of other” (Mencius, On Human Nature), a very idealist…

Innate Goodness of Human beings in Confucius, Mencius, and Xunzi This comparison analysis will define the social hierarchy of the cultivation of the self and the innate goodness of human beings as a point of conjecture in the writings of Confucius, Mencius, and Xunzi. The writings of Confucius define the social hierarchy of evil as an inborn trait, which must continually be cultivated by the wisest and strongest of people. In contrast to this, Mencius feels that human beings are innately good,…

But the interesting question, from his point of view, is how it can happen. How can something that is essential to human nature totally drop out? There is one elaborate discussion of this, in which Mencius (characteristically) uses a horticultural metaphor. He speaks of Ox Mountain, where once the trees were luxuriant (book 6,A.8). But they were constantly lopped by axes. Then cattle and sheep were brought to graze, nibbling the new shoots. Finally…

6. The Conception of Human Nature in Mencius and Xunzi Human nature describes an innate ability that human beings go through their lives with, shaping their world and interactions with each other. According to Mencius, human nature is, for the most part positive; that is, humans tend to be good. Humans are fundamentally different from other animals in that they are rational, social, and as a result, good. It is important to understand, though, that they are not all moral. Human beings are born…

In this essay, I will argue that Mencius’ altruistic position and four dispositions offer more precise explanations of human motivation than Glaucon’s support of psychological egoism. I contend that humans all have the capacity to partake in moral acts (e.g., helping kin and others, altruism, combatting injustice, etc.). Glaucon’s defense of psychologically egoistic motivation is only useful to recognize that human beings harbor a degree of self-preservation (i.e., to guard oneself from harm and…

In both reading you can conclude that Mencius and Hsun Tzu oppose each other’s views on human nature. Mencius believes that human were inherently good, while Hsun Tzu thought that humans were born evil. Even though they both had different opinion they both were devoted Confucians. Confucianism is a system of rites, rituals, and social observances. Since Confucianism was divided between the questions of human nature there was not a right or wrong way to answer. This is how both men could both…

Kevin Perez Dr. Fuller 19 October 2015 First Paper Assignment Mencius: The True Confucius Student The forth-fronting idea that has been questioned for centuries consists of dissecting what separates humans from the rest of mankind. Ancient Chinese philosopher Confucius spends a lifetime deciphering how humanity should live their lives to ensure that is well spent. In Chinese Confucius philosophy, there exists a debate that argues who is the best recipient of Confucius’ ideals and…

Both Mencius and Xun-zi are Confucians who differently interpret the conception of human nature. It is described as something that we are born with and we develop with time. Even though Mencius and Xun-zi disagree in many aspects they agree in a variety as well. Everyone is born with the same set of characteristics such as feelings, pity, sense or right or wrong, compassion and other acts that lead every human being to be humane in a sense (De Bary 129). Human nature are good acts or bad acts…

which vary between individuals. Mencius was a philosopher who believed that man is born with a good nature but whether or not they turn evil in nature depends solely on his or her environment. Although Hsun Tzu believes man has an evil nature, Mencius better argues man’s goodness exists from birth but must be nurtured by his environment and practiced by the individual. Mencius believes that it is the environment that nourishes man into becoming good or evil. Mencius beliefs are much similar to…