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Confucian Moral Confucian Moral Psychology and Cognitive Psychology and Cognitive ScienceScience
Edward SlingerlandUniversity of British Columbia
Lecture 3Lecture 3
Cognitive Science and Cognitive Science and Confucian Virtue EthicsConfucian Virtue Ethics
my websitehttp://faculty.arts.ubc.ca/eslingerland/index.html
“The Situationist Critique and Early Confucian Virtue Ethics,” Ethics 121.2 (January 2011): 390-419. [Also selected as a target article for discussion on the Philosophy blog “Pea Soup”: http://peasoup.typepad.com/]
“‘Of What Use Are the Odes?’ Cognitive Science, Virtue Ethics, and Early Confucian Ethics,” Philosophy East & West 61.1 (January 2011): 80-109. [To be reprinted in New Directions in Chinese Philosophy (ed. Cheng Chung-yi and Cheung Chan-fai), Chinese University of Hong Kong Press, 2013.]
Immanuel Kant, Immanuel Kant, Groundwork of Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Moralsthe Metaphysics of Morals
Immanuel Kant, Immanuel Kant, Groundwork of Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Moralsthe Metaphysics of Morals
people of “sympathetic temper,” who “take an inner pleasure in spreading happiness around them”◦“amiable,” but actions of “no
genuinely moral worth”◦because actions done “out of
inclination” (aus Neigung) rather than “out of duty” (aus Pflicht)
WhatWhat’’s so bad about s so bad about NeigungNeigung??
WhatWhat’’s so bad about s so bad about NeigungNeigung??arbitrary (subjective)
WhatWhat’’s so bad about s so bad about NeigungNeigung??arbitrary (subjective)unreliable (changeable)
WhatWhat’’s so bad about s so bad about NeigungNeigung??arbitrary (subjective)unreliable (changeable)heteronomous
WhatWhat’’s so bad about s so bad about NeigungNeigung??arbitrary (subjective)unreliable (changeable)heteronomous
◦alien to our true, rational natures
WhatWhat’’s so bad about s so bad about NeigungNeigung??arbitrary (subjective)unreliable (changeable)heteronomous
◦alien to our true, rational natures
““RationalismRationalism””
““RationalismRationalism””
• human reasoning, judgment and decision-making
““RationalismRationalism””
• human reasoning, judgment and decision-making◦“amodal” (not subserved in any
significant manner by sensory-motor systems or our embodiment)
““RationalismRationalism””
• human reasoning, judgment and decision-making◦“amodal” (not subserved in any
significant manner by sensory-motor systems or our embodiment)
◦propositional
““RationalismRationalism””
• human reasoning, judgment and decision-making◦“amodal” (not subserved in any
significant manner by sensory-motor systems or our embodiment)
◦propositional◦fully conscious (transparent)
““RationalismRationalism””
• human reasoning, judgment and decision-making◦“amodal” (not subserved in any
significant manner by sensory-motor systems or our embodiment)
◦propositional◦fully conscious (transparent)◦cleanly separable from emotions
ChallengeChallenge to rationalism to rationalism
ChallengeChallenge to rationalism to rationalism“Embodied cognition” challenge
to disembodied rationalism
ChallengeChallenge to rationalism to rationalism“Embodied cognition” challenge
to disembodied rationalism
Traditional Chinese
ethics, with its emphasis on
the embodied, social agent
ChallengeChallenge to rationalism to rationalism
• can be productively brought into dialogue
“Embodied cognition” challenge to disembodied rationalism
Traditional Chinese
ethics, with its emphasis on
the embodied, social agent
ChallengeChallenge to rationalism to rationalism
• can be productively brought into dialogue
• insights from each can inform, flesh out the other
“Embodied cognition” challenge to disembodied rationalism
Traditional Chinese
ethics, with its emphasis on
the embodied, social agent
ChallengeChallenge to rationalism to rationalism
Challenge to rationalismChallenge to rationalism
emotions crucial for “reason”
Challenge to rationalismChallenge to rationalism
emotions crucial for “reason”- emotional-somatic reactions perform
crucial biasing / filtering function
Antonio DamasioAntonio Damasio
emotion and reasonemotion and reason
“Gage syndrome” patientsdamaged ventromedial prefrontal
cortex
emotion and reasonemotion and reason
“Gage syndrome” patientsdamaged ventromedial prefrontal
cortex “higher” cognitive faculties intact
◦short- and long-term memories◦abstract reasoning skills◦mathematical aptitude◦performance on standard IQ tests
emotion and reasonemotion and reason
“Gage syndrome” patientsdamaged prefrontal cortex “higher” cognitive faculties intact
◦short- and long-term memories◦abstract reasoning skills◦mathematical aptitude◦performance on standard IQ tests
specific impairment: ability to experience and process emotions
emotion and reasonemotion and reason
“Elliot”continued to score well above average
on IQ test
emotion and reasonemotion and reason
“Elliot”continued to score well above average
on IQ testscored very well on the Kohlbergian
scale of moral reasoning ability (Standard Issue Moral Judgment Interview)
emotion and reasonemotion and reason
“Elliot”continued to score well above average
on IQ testscored very well on the Kohlbergian
scale of moral reasoning ability (Standard Issue Moral Judgment Interview)
absolutely useless as real-life reasoner
emotion and reasonemotion and reason
“Elliot”continued to score well above average on
IQ testscored very well on the Kohlbergian scale of
moral reasoning ability (Standard Issue Moral Judgment Interview)
absolutely useless as real-life reasoner◦ possessed elaborate theoretical knowledge about
what he should or could do, but completely unable to actually decide what to do
emotion and reasonemotion and reason
“Elliot”nice controlled experiment of a sort
emotion and reasonemotion and reason
“Elliot”nice controlled experiment of a sort
◦ possesses everything Kant says is necessary
emotion and reasonemotion and reason
“Elliot”nice controlled experiment of a sort
◦ possesses everything Kant says is necessary◦ completely incapable of making rational
decisions
emotion and reasonemotion and reason
“Elliot”nice controlled experiment of a sort
◦ possesses everything Kant says is necessary◦ completely incapable of making rational
decisionsstrongly suggests that embodied
emotions play a foundational role in ethical decision-making and practical reasoning
Challenge to rationalismChallenge to rationalism
1. Emotions Crucial for “Reason”• emotional-somatic reactions perform
crucial biasing / filtering function• moral evaluations and “gut reactions”
moral evaluations & “gut moral evaluations & “gut reactionsreactions””Hume: moral sentiments as
foundational◦moral knowledge the result of
“immediate feeling and finer internal sense” (Enquiry)
moral evaluations & “gut moral evaluations & “gut reactionsreactions””Hume: moral sentiments as
foundational◦moral knowledge the result of
“immediate feeling and finer internal sense” (Enquiry)
Jonathan Haidt: “social intuitionist” model of moral judgmentHaidt, Jonathan. 2001. The emotional dog and its rational tail: A social intuitionist approach to moral judgment. Psychological Review, 108, 813–834
moral evaluations & “gut moral evaluations & “gut reactionsreactions””Hume: moral sentiments as
foundational◦moral knowledge the result of
“immediate feeling and finer internal sense” (Enquiry)
Jonathan Haidt: “social intuitionist” model of moral judgmentHaidt, Jonathan. 2001. The emotional dog and its rational tail: A social intuitionist approach to moral judgment. Psychological Review, 108, 813–834
◦emotional reactions are often primary causal force in moral judgments
moral evaluations & “gut moral evaluations & “gut reactionsreactions””Hume: moral sentiments as
foundational◦moral knowledge the result of “immediate
feeling and finer internal sense” (Enquiry)Jonathan Haidt: “social intuitionist”
model of moral judgment“neo-Humeans”
◦ Shaun Nichols. Sentimental Rules. Oxford 2002◦ Jesse Prinz. The Emotional Construction of
Morals. Oxford 2007
moral evaluations & “gut moral evaluations & “gut reactionsreactions””Hume: moral sentiments as
foundational◦moral knowledge the result of
“immediate feeling and finer internal sense” (Enquiry)
Jonathan Haidt: “social intuitionist” model of moral judgment
“neo-Humeans”◦ Hume with evidence
Challenge to rationalismChallenge to rationalism
1. Emotions Crucial for “Reason”• emotional-somatic reactions perform
crucial biasing / filtering function• moral evaluations and “gut reactions”• foundation role of innate moral emotions
innate moral emotionsinnate moral emotions
innate moral emotionsinnate moral emotions
empathy
innate moral emotionsinnate moral emotions
empathy“justice”
innate moral emotionsinnate moral emotions
empathy“justice”disgust /shame
innate moral emotionsinnate moral emotions
empathy“justice”disgust /shame
each of these emotions has its own unique◦ trigger conditions◦ subjective feeling◦ objective behaviors◦ “entailments”
innate moral emotionsinnate moral emotions
empathy“justice”disgust /shame
each of these emotions has its own unique◦ trigger conditions◦ subjective feeling “modular”◦ objective behaviors◦ “entailments”
innate moral emotionsinnate moral emotions
empathy“justice”disgust /shame
each of these emotions has its own unique◦ trigger conditions◦ subjective feeling “modular”◦ objective behaviors◦ “entailments”
does not sit well with idea that moral reasoning is amodal and universal
Challenge to rationalismChallenge to rationalism
1. Emotions Crucial for “Reason”• emotional-somatic reactions perform
crucial biasing / filtering function• strong (moral) evaluations and “gut
reactions”• foundation role of innate moral emotions
2. There is No Unitary Self in Charge
unitary selfunitary selfRationalist model of decision-
making requires a unitary, conscious “self”◦the locus of rationality and will◦maxim follower or utilitarian calculator◦even if failed “ruler” (weakness of
will), aware that it failed
no homunculusno homunculus
Challenge to rationalismChallenge to rationalism
1. Emotions Crucial for “Reason”• emotional-somatic reactions perform
crucial biasing / filtering function• strong (moral) evaluations and “gut
reactions”• foundation role of innate moral emotions
2. There is No Unitary Self in Charge• rationales are often ex post facto
rationality as lawyer, not rationality as lawyer, not legislatorlegislator
rationality as lawyer, not rationality as lawyer, not legislatorlegislatorHaidt: conscious moral reasoning “is
usually a post hoc construction, generated after a judgment has been reached” (2001: 814)
rationality as lawyer, not rationality as lawyer, not legislatorlegislatorHaidt: conscious moral reasoning “is
usually a post hoc construction, generated after a judgment has been reached” (2001: 814)
Tim Wilson 2002: Strangers to ourselves: Discovering the adaptive unconscious◦ often don’t know what we’re doing or why
rationality as lawyer, not rationality as lawyer, not legislatorlegislatorHaidt: conscious moral reasoning “is
usually a post hoc construction, generated after a judgment has been reached” (2001: 814)
Tim Wilson 2002: Strangers to ourselves: Discovering the adaptive unconscious◦ often don’t know what we’re doing or why◦ when questioned, strongly motivated to
concoct plausible-sounding but dubious justifications
Challenge to rationalismChallenge to rationalism
1. Emotions Crucial for “Reason”• emotional-somatic reactions perform
crucial biasing / filtering function• strong (moral) evaluations and “gut
reactions”• foundation role of innate moral emotions
2. There is No Unitary Self in Charge• rationales are often ex post facto• importance of automaticity (top-down
control is expensive)
automaticityautomaticityevolution seems to have off-loaded the
vast bulk of our everyday decision-making and judgment-formation onto automatic, unconscious systems
automaticityautomaticityevolution seems to have off-loaded the
vast bulk of our everyday decision-making and judgment-formation onto automatic, unconscious systems◦ because such systems are fast, frugal, and
reliable
automaticityautomaticityevolution seems to have off-loaded the
vast bulk of our everyday decision-making and judgment-formation onto automatic, unconscious systems◦ because such systems are fast, frugal, and
reliablemost of everyday judgment/ decision
making is
automaticityautomaticityevolution seems to have off-loaded the
vast bulk of our everyday decision-making and judgment-formation onto automatic, unconscious systems◦ because such systems are fast, frugal, and
reliablemost of everyday judgment/ decision
making is ◦ unconscious
automaticityautomaticityevolution seems to have off-loaded the
vast bulk of our everyday decision-making and judgment-formation onto automatic, unconscious systems◦ because such systems are fast, frugal, and
reliablemost of everyday judgment/ decision
making is ◦ unconscious◦ automatic
top-down controltop-down controlthe brain systems associated with
abstract reasoning and cognitive control can, at least sometimes, bring these implicit biases and other sorts of emotions into consciousness in order to modify or override them
top-down controltop-down controlthe brain systems associated with
abstract reasoning and cognitive control can, at least sometimes, bring these implicit biases and other sorts of emotions into consciousness in order to modify or override them
however: it is equally clear that conscious self-control is an extremely limited resource
top-down controltop-down controlthe brain systems associated with
abstract reasoning and cognitive control can, at least sometimes, bring these implicit biases and other sorts of emotions into consciousness in order to modify or override them
however: it is equally clear that conscious self-control is an extremely limited resource◦“ego depletion” (Baumeister)
Challenge to rationalismChallenge to rationalism
1. Emotions Crucial for “Reason”• emotional-somatic reactions perform
crucial biasing / filtering function• strong (moral) evaluations and “gut
reactions”• foundation role of innate moral emotions
2. There is No Unitary Self in Charge• rationales are often ex post facto• automaticity /top-down control is
expensive• power of situational effects
situationsituation
• Our behavior is often powerfully and unconsciously effected by
situationsituation
• Our behavior is often powerfully and unconsciously effected by
– physical environment (temperature, colors, cleanliness)– interpersonal environment (posture, dress, expression)– institutional environment (authority, social markers)– linguistic environment (priming, framing)
situationsituation
• Our behavior is often powerfully and unconsciously effected by
– physical environment (temperature, colors, cleanliness)– interpersonal environment (posture, dress, expression)– institutional environment (authority, social markers)– linguistic environment (priming, framing)
• extreme “situationist” critique (Doris, Harman) of personality an exaggeration
Slingerland, Edward. 2011. The situationist critique and early Confucian virtue ethics. Ethics 121 (2):390-419.
situationsituation
• Our behavior is often powerfully and unconsciously effected by
– physical environment (temperature, colors, cleanliness)– interpersonal environment (posture, dress, expression)– institutional environment (authority, social markers)– linguistic environment (priming, framing)
• extreme “situationist” critique (Doris, Harman) of personality an exaggeration
– but they are right about “attribution error” regarding relative power of personality and environment
Challenge to rationalismChallenge to rationalism
1. Emotions Crucial for “Reason”• emotional-somatic reactions perform
crucial biasing / filtering function• strong (moral) evaluations and “gut
reactions”• foundation role of innate moral emotions
2. There is No Unitary Self in Charge• rationales are often ex post facto• automaticity /top-down control is
expensive
3. Thought is Image-based
thought is image-basedthought is image-based
thought is image-basedthought is image-based
Barsalou, Lawrence: “perceptual symbol account”(1999. Perceptual symbol systems. Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 22, 577-609)
thought is image-basedthought is image-based
Barsalou, Lawrence: “perceptual symbol account”(1999. Perceptual symbol systems. Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 22, 577-609)
◦ abstract symbols derived from and always grounded in perception
thought is image-basedthought is image-based
Barsalou, Lawrence: “perceptual symbol account”(1999. Perceptual symbol systems. Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 22, 577-609)
◦ abstract symbols derived from and always grounded in perception
Lakoff & Johnson: conceptual metaphor theory
thought is image-basedthought is image-based
Barsalou, Lawrence: “perceptual symbol account”(1999. Perceptual symbol systems. Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 22, 577-609)
◦ abstract symbols derived from and always grounded in perception
Lakoff & Johnson: conceptual metaphor theory◦ sensory-motor analog patterns basis of abstract
thought◦ “entailments” come from analogue, imagistic
reasoning
Challenge to rationalismChallenge to rationalism
1. Emotions Crucial for “Reason”• emotional-somatic reactions perform
crucial biasing / filtering function• strong (moral) evaluations and “gut
reactions”• foundation role of innate moral emotions
2. There is No Unitary Self in Charge• rationales are often ex post facto• automaticity /top-down control is expensive
3. Thought is Image-based• categories are usually radial / prototype-
based
Radial / Prototype Radial / Prototype categorizationcategorizationnot Aristotelian categories
Radial / Prototype Radial / Prototype categorizationcategorizationnot Aristotelian categoriespattern-matching with stored
prototypes
Challenge to rationalismChallenge to rationalism
1. Emotions Crucial for “Reason”• emotional-somatic reactions perform
crucial biasing / filtering function• strong (moral) evaluations and “gut reactions”• foundation role of innate moral emotions
2. There is No Unitary Self in Charge• rationales are often ex post facto• automaticity /top-down control is expensive
3. Thought is Image-based• categories are usually radial / prototype-
based• moral reasoning and training are
metaphoric / analogical
learning as imagistic learning as imagistic extensionextension
moral education involves training individuals—explicitly or implicitly—to develop more and more sophisticated imagistic models (concepts)
learning as imagistic learning as imagistic extensionextension
moral education involves training individuals—explicitly or implicitly—to develop more and more sophisticated imagistic models (concepts)
this involves being able to extend them in a consistent manner
learning as imagistic learning as imagistic extensionextension
moral education involves training individuals—explicitly or implicitly—to develop more and more sophisticated imagistic models (concepts)
this involves being able to extend them in a consistent manner◦ primarily through the use of metaphors or analogies
learning as imagistic learning as imagistic extensionextension
moral education involves training individuals—explicitly or implicitly—to develop more and more sophisticated imagistic models (concepts)
this involves being able to extend them in a consistent manner◦ primarily through the use of metaphors or analogies
both internal moral reasoning and public moral debate will often take the form of battling metaphors
learning as imagistic learning as imagistic extensionextension
moral education involves training individuals—explicitly or implicitly—to develop more and more sophisticated imagistic models (concepts)
this involves being able to extend them in a consistent manner◦ primarily through the use of metaphors or analogies
both internal moral reasoning and public moral debate will often take the form of battling metaphors◦ Is the U.S. position in Afghanistan a “quagmire” like Vietnam?
learning as imagistic learning as imagistic extensionextension
moral education involves training individuals—explicitly or implicitly—to develop more and more sophisticated imagistic models (concepts)
this involves being able to extend them in a consistent manner◦ primarily through the use of metaphors or analogies
both internal moral reasoning and public moral debate will often take the form of battling metaphors◦ Is the U.S. position in Afghanistan a “quagmire” like
Vietnam?◦ Is moral cultivation like carving a willow tree into cups and
bowls, or like helping a plant to grow?
In defense of “habitIn defense of “habit””if bulk of our everyday cognition
is
In defense of “habitIn defense of “habit””if bulk of our everyday cognition
is◦emotion-based
In defense of “habitIn defense of “habit””if bulk of our everyday cognition
is◦emotion-based◦unconscious or semi-conscious
In defense of “habitIn defense of “habit””if bulk of our everyday cognition
is◦emotion-based◦unconscious or semi-conscious◦automatic
In defense of “habitIn defense of “habit””if bulk of our everyday cognition
is◦emotion-based◦unconscious or semi-conscious◦automatic◦image-based, imaginative
In defense of “habitIn defense of “habit””if bulk of our everyday cognition is
◦emotion-based◦unconscious or semi-conscious◦automatic◦image-based, imaginative
reasonable to conclude that training desirable habits might be a more reliable way to ensure ethical behavior
In defense of “habitIn defense of “habit””“virtue ethics”
In defense of “habitIn defense of “habit””“virtue ethics”
◦“virtues” arguably stable, desirable habits
In defense of “habitIn defense of “habit””“virtue ethics”
◦“virtues” arguably stable, desirable habits
◦despite bad-mouthing that “habit” gets even among virtue ethicists
In defense of “habitIn defense of “habit””“virtue ethics”
◦“virtues” arguably stable, desirable habits
◦despite bad-mouthing that “habit” gets even among virtue ethicists
still influenced by the ghost of Kant
In defense of “habitIn defense of “habit””habits are not unintelligent or
inflexible
In defense of “habitIn defense of “habit””habits are not unintelligent or
inflexible“goal-dependent automaticity”
quite effective and flexible (when necessary)◦Bargh et al 2001◦Chartrand and Bargh 1996
cognitive science & virtue cognitive science & virtue ethicsethicsdebate between defenders of
virtue ethics, utilitarianism and deontology at least 2,500 years old
cognitive science & virtue cognitive science & virtue ethicsethicsdebate between defenders of
virtue ethics, utilitarianism and deontology at least 2,500 years old◦evidence from cognitive science
could help at least partially settle it
Meta-Ethical AsideMeta-Ethical Asideso just about education, training?NO
◦no such thing as purely cold cognition
◦deontology emotional foundation
◦utilitarianism objective “math” performed on
metaphorical entities
Confucian virtue ethicsConfucian virtue ethics
Confucian virtue ethicsConfucian virtue ethicsearly Confucians never drank the
disembodied rationality Kool-Aid
Confucian virtue ethicsConfucian virtue ethicsearly Confucians never drank the
disembodied rationality Kool-Aidmodel of moral reasoning,
education might have something to useful to say in contemporary context
Confucian virtue ethics & Confucian virtue ethics & emotionemotion
• Mencian ethics: Morality is based upon emotions / gut reactions
Confucian virtue ethics & Confucian virtue ethics & emotionemotion
• Mencian ethics: Morality is based upon emotions / gut reactions• sprouts, “hearts,” are intelligent
emotional responses to the perception of value
Confucian virtue ethics & Confucian virtue ethics & emotionemotion
• Mencian ethics: Morality is based upon emotions / gut reactions• sprouts, “hearts,” are intelligent
emotional responses to the perception of value• even content of the sprouts seems a
pretty good first approximation
Mencian sproutsMencian sprouts
Ren 仁 ◦ empathetic response like the burenzhixin—elicited by
both real situations (drowning sister in law, ox being led to slaughter) and imagined (child and well)—basic mammalian moral emotion
Mencian sproutsMencian sprouts
Ren 仁 ◦ empathetic response like the burenzhixin—elicited by
both real situations (drowning sister in law, ox being led to slaughter) and imagined (child and well)—basic mammalian moral emotion
Yi 義◦ indignant refusal to accept unfair offers in Ultimatum
Game like beggar in 6:A:10
Mencian sproutsMencian sprouts
Ren 仁 ◦ empathetic response like the burenzhixin—elicited by
both real situations (drowning sister in law, ox being led to slaughter) and imagined (child and well)—basic mammalian moral emotion
Yi 義◦ indignant refusal to accept unfair offers in Ultimatum
Game like beggar in 6:A:10
Li 禮◦ role of disgust in moral judgments (Rozin, Haidt)
Other Mencian parallelsOther Mencian parallels• Moral education is about
imaginative extension / sympathetic imagination
Other Mencian parallelsOther Mencian parallels• Moral education is about
imaginative extension / sympathetic imagination◦primary tool is metaphor and analogy
Other Mencian parallelsOther Mencian parallels• Moral education is about
imaginative extension / sympathetic imagination◦primary tool is metaphor and analogy◦supplemented with ritual, music,
prototype modeling
““hot” vs. “cold” cognitionhot” vs. “cold” cognition
““hot” vs. “cold” cognitionhot” vs. “cold” cognition
“Hot” “Cold”
emotional non-emotional
fast, “frugal” slow, “expensive”
automatic under executive control
mostly unconscious mostly conscious
““hot” vs. “cold” cognitionhot” vs. “cold” cognition
“Hot” “Cold”
emotional non-emotional
fast, “frugal” slow, “expensive”
automatic under executive control
mostly unconscious mostly conscious
> two systems can and often do interact
““hot” vs. “cold” cognitionhot” vs. “cold” cognition
“Hot” “Cold”
emotional non-emotional
fast, “frugal” slow, “expensive”
automatic under executive control
mostly unconscious mostly conscious
> relative, not absolute difference
““hot” vs. “cold” cognitionhot” vs. “cold” cognition
One way to look at Confucian ethics:
““hot” vs. “cold” cognitionhot” vs. “cold” cognition
One way to look at Confucian ethics:◦ “time-delayed” cognitive control
““hot” vs. “cold” cognitionhot” vs. “cold” cognition
One way to look at Confucian ethics:◦ “time-delayed” cognitive control◦ embedding higher-level desires and goals in
lower-level emotional and sensory-motor systems
““hot” vs. “cold” cognitionhot” vs. “cold” cognition
One way to look at Confucian ethics:◦ “time-delayed” cognitive control◦ embedding higher-level desires and goals in
lower-level emotional and sensory-motor systems i.e., embedding results of “cold” cognition into
“hot” systems
E.g., Xunzi and creation of E.g., Xunzi and creation of ritualritual
E.g., Xunzi and creation of E.g., Xunzi and creation of ritualritual“Discourse on Ritual”禮起於何也﹖曰:人生而有欲,欲而不得,則不能無求。求而無度量分界,則不能不爭;爭則亂,亂則窮。
E.g., Xunzi and creation of E.g., Xunzi and creation of ritualritual“Discourse on Ritual”禮起於何也﹖曰:人生而有欲,欲而不得,則不能無求。求而無度量分界,則不能不爭;爭則亂,亂則窮。
> “hot cognition” run wild!
E.g., Xunzi and creation of E.g., Xunzi and creation of ritualritual“Discourse on Ritual”先王惡其亂也
E.g., Xunzi and creation of E.g., Xunzi and creation of ritualritual“Discourse on Ritual”先王惡其亂也
◦ “hot cognition” too!
E.g., Xunzi and creation of E.g., Xunzi and creation of ritualritual“Discourse on Ritual”先王惡其亂也,故制禮義以分之,以養人之欲,給人之求。使欲必不窮於物,物必不屈於欲。兩者相持而長,是禮之所起也。
E.g., Xunzi and creation of E.g., Xunzi and creation of ritualritual“Discourse on Ritual”先王惡其亂也,故制禮義以分之,以養人之欲,給人之求。使欲必不窮於物,物必不屈於欲。兩者相持而長,是禮之所起也。
process of self-cultivation
E.g., Xunzi and creation of E.g., Xunzi and creation of ritualritual“Discourse on Ritual”先王惡其亂也,故制禮義以分之,以養人之欲,給人之求。使欲必不窮於物,物必不屈於欲。兩者相持而長,是禮之所起也。
process of self-cultivation◦ embeds the fruits of cold-cognition (how to
best distribute limited resources)
E.g., Xunzi and creation of E.g., Xunzi and creation of ritualritual“Discourse on Ritual”先王惡其亂也,故制禮義以分之,以養人之欲,給人之求。使欲必不窮於物,物必不屈於欲。兩者相持而長,是禮之所起也。
process of self-cultivation◦ embeds the fruits of cold-cognition (how to
best distribute limited resources)◦ into hot processes (ritually-transformed
desires)
Valuing “habit” over Valuing “habit” over reflectionreflection
Valuing “habit” over Valuing “habit” over reflectionreflectionXunzi’s ranking of levels of
achievement
Valuing “habit” over Valuing “habit” over reflectionreflectionXunzi’s ranking of levels of
achievement◦“scholar-official” (shi 士 ) ◦“gentleman” (junzi 君子 )◦“sage” (shengren 聖人 )
Valuing “habit” over Valuing “habit” over reflectionreflectionXunzi’s ranking of levels of
achievement◦“scholar-official” (shi 士 ) ◦“gentleman” (junzi 君子 )◦“sage” (shengren 聖人 )
Valuing “habit” over Valuing “habit” over reflectionreflectionXunzi’s ranking of levels of
achievement◦“scholar-official” (shi 士 ) ◦“gentleman” (junzi 君子 ) increasingly
“hot”
◦“sage” (shengren 聖人 )
Valuing “habit” over Valuing “habit” over reflectionreflectionXunzi’s ranking of levels of
achievement◦“scholar-official” (shi 士 ) ◦“gentleman” (junzi 君子 ) increasingly
“hot”
◦“sage” (shengren 聖人 )
> “effortless action” (wuwei 無為 ) as mark of highest level of moral achievement
Valuing “habit” over Valuing “habit” over reflectionreflectionXunzi’s ranking of levels of
achievement◦“scholar-official” (shi 士 ) ◦“gentleman” (junzi 君子 ) increasingly
“hot”
◦“sage” (shengren 聖人 )
“effortless action” (wuwei 無為 ) as mark of highest level of moral achievement
precisely the opposite of Kant’s valuation
““hot” vs. “cold” cognitionhot” vs. “cold” cognition
Characteristic feature of Confucian ethics:
““hot” vs. “cold” cognitionhot” vs. “cold” cognition
Characteristic feature of Confucian ethics:◦replacement of
““hot” vs. “cold” cognitionhot” vs. “cold” cognition
Characteristic feature of Confucian ethics:◦replacement of
exertion of conscious will-power
““hot” vs. “cold” cognitionhot” vs. “cold” cognition
Characteristic feature of Confucian ethics:◦replacement of
exertion of conscious will-power on-line, rational decision-making
““hot” vs. “cold” cognitionhot” vs. “cold” cognition
Characteristic feature of Confucian ethics:◦replacement of
exertion of conscious will-power on-line, rational decision-making
◦with self-activating, carefully-designed,
automatic habits
Confucian ethicsConfucian ethics
Confucian ethicsConfucian ethicsdesigned a model of moral
education that draws upon but also reshapes our embodied habits and perceptions
Confucian ethicsConfucian ethicsdesigned a model of moral
education that draws upon but also reshapes our embodied habits and perceptions◦important corrective to fetishization
of disembodied reason in the last few hundred years of Western ethical thought
Confucian ethicsConfucian ethicsdesigned a model of moral
education that draws upon but also reshapes our embodied habits and perceptions◦important corrective to fetishization of
disembodied reason in the last few hundred years of Western ethical thought
◦empirically plausible and valuable resource for contemporary ethical theory and education