History of Philosophy: India, Africana, China HPC 15. Flexing Your Moral Muscles: Xunzi on Moral Cultivation
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Oct 20, 2024 AI Snips
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Human Nature and Moral Cultivation
- Xunzi criticizes Mengzi's view that human nature is inherently good.
- He argues this view diminishes the importance of conscious moral cultivation.
The Fixed Nature of Human Nature
- Xunzi believes human nature is fixed and given by heaven.
- He emphasizes that deliberate effort is necessary for moral development because it goes against our natural inclinations.
Effort vs. Nature
- Xunzi distinguishes between deliberate effort (wei) and human nature (xing).
- Wei involves conscious work and learning, while xing represents spontaneous, unlearned actions.