Review: Utilitarian Moral Theory 利 害 li-hai benefit-harm standard selects social discourse 道 dao guide 利 害 li-hai benefit-harm standard selects social discourse 道 dao guide –Everyone's guiding rules, attitudes norms –Reform tradition--shocking results  moral reform impasse Partial solution: Rule out collectively self- defeating moralitiesPartial solution: Rule out collectively self- defeating moralities –Morally oppose themselves as public morality –Like Socrates, doesn't tell us the correct morality And not technically inconsistentAnd not technically inconsistent Just can't be publicly acknowledgedJust can't be publicly acknowledged

Other Mencius Background Yang Zhu: Ethical egoismYang Zhu: Ethical egoism –Not psychological--people are naturally social But shouldn't be--authority of 天 tian nature:skyBut shouldn't be--authority of 天 tian nature:sky Command 命 in form of life capacity 氣Command 命 in form of life capacity 氣 Classification of ethicsClassification of ethics –Metaethics: Socrates knowable, Confucius traditional (?) –Moral psychology: West egoistic, Confucius- Mozi-Yang social –Normative theory: Confucius: 禮 li ritual, Mozi 利 li benefit Yang wo I 我

Mencius Response Prefers not to 辯 bian distinction dispute but must respond to Yang and MoPrefers not to 辯 bian distinction dispute but must respond to Yang and Mo –Use Yang to answer Mo –Natural, inborn capacity, but more detail Strategy in burial argumentStrategy in burial argument –Tradition arises from "natural inclinations" –Commanded by 天 tian nature:sky and not mere convention

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

Questions Quiz 3. This sentence is false. Why is the above sentence a paradox? Is “All language distorts the Dao” also a paradox? Explain. Notice Mid-Term Questions

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

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

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

Two Principles Link fact & duty:Link fact & duty: –"Is-ought": “is” does not imply “ought” Undermines appeal to natureUndermines appeal to nature –"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 –Distinguishing feature –Health (like finger)

Mencius and Daoism Prefers not to 辯 bian distinction disputePrefers not to 辯 bian distinction dispute –Doesn’t like language –Doesn’t need language: intuition Foolish man and plantsFoolish 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 –Sum of all actual performance 道 dao guides is the great dao 大 道 –You will follow 大 道 —no knowledge of 道 needed

Three Determinisms Logical, Scientific, FatalisticLogical, Scientific, Fatalistic –What will be will be, by predictable laws, out of human control – 慎 到 draws fatalistic conclusion from logical determinism Paradox of "abandon knowledge"Paradox of "abandon knowledge" – 道 Dao as the object of knowledge –Obey it only if you ignore it

Laozi 老子 Textual issuesTextual issues The Zhuangzi's historyThe Zhuangzi's history –Between Shendao and Zhuangzi Abandon knowledge w/o relying on fatalismAbandon knowledge w/o relying on fatalism –Argument from freedom from social control –Spontaneity

Analysis of "Knowledge" Discourse 道 daos: come in oppositesDiscourse 道 daos: come in opposites –Names 名 (opposites) –Distinctions (implied: one per pair) –Desires 欲 Innovation in seeing desires generated by names/distinctionsInnovation in seeing desires generated by names/distinctions – 為 wei deem:do action

Problem: Same Paradox? Distinction of natural and conventional desiresDistinction of natural and conventional desires –Forms of social constraint –Language distorts by gross distinction while there are infinite shades in nature Desire to be naturalDesire to be natural Act on the desire (forgetting)Act on the desire (forgetting) 無 為 wu lack wei deem:do a paradox 無 為 wu lack wei deem:do a paradox –Wu-wei and yet wu-bu-wei 無不為 –no concept guided action

No Constant Dao 道可道非常道 Any dao that guides is not constant dao-ing 道可道非常道 Any dao that guides is not constant dao-ing Because based on 名 andBecause based on 名 and – 名可名非常名 Any name that names is not constant name-ing Negative 道 dao guide by emphasizing opposite virtuesNegative 道 dao guide by emphasizing opposite virtues –Passive, lower, water, cool, submissive, female –Constant 道 dao guide ? Unspeakable?

Relevance to Mencius The intuitions that Confucians think are natural are socially cultivatedThe intuitions that Confucians think are natural are socially cultivated –Burial, filial piety, attitudes to authority –Status, wealth, style Hong Kong slaveryHong Kong slavery –Innate 天 道 is very thin Eat, sleep, children, farm, small villagesEat, sleep, children, farm, small villages

Common Anti-language Problem 墨 辯 Mohist semantic analysis: 墨 辯 Mohist semantic analysis: –To say “language bad” is bad –Paradox of the liar This sentence is falseThis sentence is false All Sentences are falseAll Sentences are false –Not a paradox –But false Challenge to ZhuangziChallenge to Zhuangzi

Puzzle All language distorts the 道 daoAll language distorts the 道 dao Distorts the 道 daoDistorts the 道 dao