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Week 4: Mozi (motsu, )

Life

ca. 480-392 BCE Sima Qian (145-86 BCE) very briefly recorded him.

o Born in the state of Luo was skilled in defensive strategy and technology

o Darker skin toneo Brandedo Farmer or slaveo Low class from north

Is this his real last name? Lived between Confucius and Mencius Menciuss criticism

o Do I really like to argue? I simply have no alternative... if the doctrines of Yang School and Mo School donot subside and the teaching of Confucius is not proclaimed, the people will be misled by heresies and the

path of morality will be blocked.

Simple and frugal life styleo Coarse clotheso Eschewed personal possessionso Travelled extensively

An adept in constructing defensive apparatus Trained his disciples to use the technique ably. Very practical (rational)

...This is why our teacher Mozi says, I condemn partiality.

Now those who condemn anothers view must offer something in its place. If one condemns anothers view without

offering something in its place this is like adding water to a flood or flame to a fire. Such appeals prove to have no

merit.

This is why our teacher Mozi says, Replace partiality with impartiality. (Mozi, 67)

Instead of focusing on how to define the man of humanity, Mozi focuses on what the man of humanity doesfor the benefit of people.

School of Mo ()

School of Mozi a rigid military-like organization Wearing black clothes Became a religious movement Martial artists and technicians Disappeared around 2nd century BCE.

Diagnosis of social problems - Confucius

Cause: Moral corruption Goal: Reconstructing a moral structure thereby everyone can live in harmonized and peaceful way. Method: Humanity - loyalty and empathy Rectification of names - reconstructing the rigid hierarchy of society. Three roles: Three Roles role models A ruler must be a role-model for his ministers. A father must be a role-model for his children. A husband must be a role-model for his wife.

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Diagnosis of social problems - Mozi

Cause: Partiality, partial love Goal: Alleviation of social problems, restoration of worldly order, bringing welfare to the common people Method: Impartial love Audience: the working class. Ideal society: a modest farming society.

: universal, equal, impartial : love, concern Impartial concern or love Radical Altruism ? (Julia Ching)

o Definition of Altruism: the belief in or practice of disinterested and selfless concern for the well-being ofothers:some may choose to work with vulnerable elderly people out of altruism. (Oxford Dictionary)

Cause of social problems

PartialityOur teacher Mozi says, The business of a benevolent person is to promote what is beneficial to the world and

eliminate what is harmful.

Granted that this is true, what are the greatest harms that are being done in the world today? Our teacher Mozi says,

It is things such as great states attacking small states, great families wreaking havoc with lesser families, the strong

robbing the weak, the many doing violence to the few, the clever deceiving the ignorant, and the noble acting

arrogantly toward the humble. These are some of the great harms being done in the world. In addition, there are

rulers who are not kind, ministers who are not loyal, fathers who are not loving, and children who are not filial.

These too are some of the great harms being done in the world. There are also those of low character who use

weapons, poison, water, and fire to injure and steal from one another. These too are some of the great harms donein the world.

If we try to discover the origin of these different harms, where do we find they come from? Do they come from

caring for and benefiting people? This clearly must be rejected as the origin of these harms. We must recognize that

they come from hating and stealing from people. If we wish to distinguish those in the world who hate and steal

from people, do we refer to them as impartial or partial? We clearly must call them partial. And so it is those who

are partial in their dealings with others who are the real cause of all the great harms in the world.

This is why our teacher Mozi says, I condemn partiality.o Partiality vs. impartiality

! Two levels of partiality Based on power

great states attacking small states, great families wreaking havoc with lesser families,the strong robbing the weak...

Based on hierarchyrulers who are not kind, ministers who are not loyal, fathers who are not loving, and

children who are not filial...

The same phenomena, different solutionsrulers who are not kind, ministers who are not loyal, fathers who are not loving, and children who are not filial...

o Confucius - partiality; Factionalism! Rectification of names - hierarchical, class-based! The three roles - x must be a role model of y.

A ruler must be a role-model for his ministers. A father must be a role-model for his children. A husband must be a role-model for his wife.

! The five cardinal relations A ruler ministers: righteousness A father a son: affection A husband a wife: respecting their separate role An elderly a young: proper order

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Friends: faithfulnessrulers who are not kind, ministers who are not loyal, fathers who are not loving, and children who are not filial...

o Mozi - impartiality; Utilitarianismo This is why our teacher Mozi says, Replace partiality with impartiality.

Since this is what is correct, how then can we replace partiality with impartiality? Our teacher Mozi says,

If people regarded other peoples states in the same way that they regard their own, who then would incitetheir own state to attack that of another? For one would do for others as one would do for oneself. If people

regarded other peoples cities in the same way that they regard their own, who then would incite their own

city to attack that of another? For one would do for others as one would do for oneself. If people regarded

other peoples families in the same way that they regard their own, who then would incite their own family

to attack that of another? For one would do for others as one would do for oneself. And so if states and

cities do not attack one another and families do not wreak havoc upon and steal from one another, would

this be a harm to the world or a benefit? Of course one must say it is a benefit to the world.

! Care others based on equality Politics Ethics

Ten Doctrines

1. Elevating the Worthy'2. Identifying with the Superior's Standard'3. Impartial Concern'4. Against Aggressive Warfare'5. Economy in Expenditure'6. Economy in Funerals'7. Heaven's Intention'8. Explaining Ghosts'9. Rejecting Music'10. Rejecting Belief in Fate'.