Lecture 3 Why be moral?

Is morality in our nature

If morality is based on universal moral principles...

If moral beliefs can be justified or proven with universally recognizable reasons…
If moral truths can be discovered by any reasonable person, any rational human…
Wouldn’t morality be part of a universal human nature?

Mencius
Background
 a Confucian “Ruist” （儒家）
 The Proper Way (道) to live and organize society
 Moral development = cultivating sprouts
 Morality is in our nature – we naturally value order and righteousness as good
 Rebuts Yang Zhu: human nature is NOT self-interested desires for food, sex, physical
comfort

Account of human nature

 Human nature (性) is good （善）
o “nature” is an innate tendency, what something does spontaneously and without
deliberate effort
o “human nature is good” = all human have the tendency to be good, and the
inherent potential to be virtuous
 All humans tend towards goodness like water tends to flow downward.
(6A2)
 Through reflection, we can channel, “extend” and “fill out” our moral
feelings to their proper targets

If all humans tend towards goodness, why are some humans so bad?
 Reply (6A15)
o Not everyone engages the mind’s capacity for reflection, thinking (思)
o Not everyone’s circumstances is ideal for growing the sprouts of virtue

The “four starting points”

 The “four starting points” (四端), inherent dispositions to be good, within the heart/ mind
o Compassion/ sympathy (惻隱之心) – the sprout of benevolence
 How do we know all humans have the tendency toward benevolence
 A thought experiment: “everyone in such a situation would have a feeling
of alarm and compassion,” not merely for social status or personal
discomfort  “from this we can see that if one is without the feeling of
compassion, one is not human.” (2A6)
o Disdain/ contempt (羞惡之心) – the sprout of righteousness
 How do we know all humans have the tendency toward righteousness
  A thought experiment: a basket of food and a bowl of soup… if they’re
given with contempt, then even a homeless person will not accept them
o Deference and courtesy (辭讓之心) – the sprout of ritual propriety
o Approval and disapproval （是非之心）- the sprout of wisdom

Moral Development
 Cultivating sprouts

Practice rituals
 Observe ceremonial and social rules of conduct, with the proper attitude and care
 Analects 17:11 “The Master said, when we say, ‘the rites, the rites,’ are we speaking
merely of jade and silk
 Unstated social conventions that govern our behavior
 “righteousness”/ “appropriateness” (義):
o Follow social/ ethical rules and duties, avoid what is shameful and dishonest
 Cultivates the virtues of “benevolence”/ “humaneness” (仁)：
o Show love and concern for others’ well-being, especially one’s parents and
family

Why be moral?
 6A7: “What is it that hearts prefer in common? I say it is order and righteousness. The
sages first discovered what our hearts prefer in common. Hence, order and righteousness
delight our hearts like meat delights our mouths.”

Xuanxi
Account of human nature
 Human nature is bad
 Morality isn’t in our nature; we value order and righteousness as good; following social
ethical norms will (mostly) be in everyone’s interest, one develops moral influence
o If we follow our innate tendencies, then struggle, cruelty, chaos, and violence will
arise
 Nature is an innate tendency, what something does spontaneously and without deliberate
effort
 Moral development = straightening crooked wood
 Our innate tendencies
o a fondness for profit
o feeling of hate and dislike
o a fondness for beautiful sights and sounds

Practicing rituals
 “Goodness is a matter of deliberate effort”
 What everyone under Heaven calls good = “being correct, ordered, peaceful, and
controlled.”
 i.e., the effort of rulers, sages, teachers, and individuals themselves to “train and
transform” human nature.
 This means for attaining goodness = the rituals and standards of righteousness bestowed
by rulers and sage-kings.
 If it were natural to attain goodness, then there would be no need for rituals and standards
of righteousness, rulers and sage-kings, law, and punishments
 Through following the norms of proper social-ethical conduct, individuals and society
attain goodness, conform with the way.
 Through following the norms of proper social-ethical conduct, you become a
“gentleman”, an exemplary person with moral charisma

Why be moral?
 “if they accumulate goodness without stopping, then they will achieve spirit like powers
and understanding, and will form a triad with Heaven and earth.”
 People will follow you because you embody goodness as being moral makes you
steadfast