Born good or born evil? ——081100024 强薇 081100025 秦臻榛

Mencius and His Theory of Original Goodness of Human Nature Man’s nature at birth is good. 人之初，性本善 -Three Character Primer(三字经) All people were inherently good. Negative environmental influences.

Xunzi and His Theory of Original Evil of Human Nature 性恶论 人性之恶。其善者，伪也。 Man's Nature is Wayward All people are born with natural tendencies toward “waywardness”

Comparison between the Two Theories Mencius: 恻隐之心，人皆有之；羞恶之心，人皆有之；恭敬之心，人皆有之；是非之心，人皆有之. 恻隐之心，仁之端也；羞恶之心，义之端也；恭敬之心，礼之端也；是非之心，智之端也. Xunzi: 目好色，耳好声，口好味，心好利，骨体肤理好愉快 饥而欲食，寒而欲暖，劳而欲息，好利而恶害 凡人有所一同

Comparison Consensus: Human nature is changeable. Nature can influence but cannot decide one’s life. Mencius: Man can lose his original goodness Xunzi: Man can get rid of his original evil Accordant with the humaneness of Ru The practical principles of “pursuing”（求）and “learning”（学）

Difference: Mencius: Develop your potential goodness Emphasize man’s social property Xunzi: Eschew evil and do good Emphasize man’s natural property

A highly moralized society All Roads Lead to Rome Develop potential goodness by social moralization Eschew evil and do good by social moralization A highly moralized society

Different Methods to Realize Social Moralization Mencius： Fundamental approach is self-cultivation Keep and enhance one’s original goodness 富贵不能淫，威武不能屈，贫贱不能移 Xunzi: Regulate a person with rites exerted by the society 必求于外 积善成德

Conclusion From our point of view: Disagree: About human nature, a man cannot be born good or evil. It is not nature but nurture matters Agree: The importance of social cultivation.

Thank You~