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    Mencius: Apalisok Cruz 3HCE3

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    Jazrine Brielle Bunggo
    Mencius was a Chinese philosopher who believed that human nature is innately good. He identified four sprouts of virtue within human nature: benevolence, righteousness, wisdom, and propriety. Mencius used the story of a king sparing an ox to illustrate that humans have an innate capacity for compassion, and that leaders must cultivate their virtue and rule with kindness and morality. He argued people can strengthen their innate goodness through self-cultivation and social support.

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    Mencius: Apalisok Cruz 3HCE3

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    Jazrine Brielle Bunggo
    57 views23 pages
    Mencius was a Chinese philosopher who believed that human nature is innately good. He identified four sprouts of virtue within human nature: benevolence, righteousness, wisdom, and propriety. Mencius used the story of a king sparing an ox to illustrate that humans have an innate capacity for compassion, and that leaders must cultivate their virtue and rule with kindness and morality. He argued people can strengthen their innate goodness through self-cultivation and social support.

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    Mencius was a Chinese philosopher who believed that human nature is innately good. He identified four sprouts of virtue within human nature: benevolence, righteousness, wisdom, and propriety. Mencius used the story of a king sparing an ox to illustrate that humans have an innate capacity for compassion, and that leaders must cultivate their virtue and rule with kindness and morality. He argued people can strengthen their innate goodness through self-cultivation and social support.

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    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
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    57 views23 pages

    Mencius: Apalisok Cruz 3HCE3

    Uploaded by

    Jazrine Brielle Bunggo
    Mencius was a Chinese philosopher who believed that human nature is innately good. He identified four sprouts of virtue within human nature: benevolence, righteousness, wisdom, and propriety. Mencius used the story of a king sparing an ox to illustrate that humans have an innate capacity for compassion, and that leaders must cultivate their virtue and rule with kindness and morality. He argued people can strengthen their innate goodness through self-cultivation and social support.

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    Apalisok Cruz 3HCE3

    MENCIUS
    OUTLINE
    • Who is Mencius?
    • Is Human Nature Good or Bad?
    • Sprouts of Virtue
    • Story of King and the Ox
    WHO IS MENCIUS?
    Mencius' full name was “Meng Ke" It was his given
    name and he is the descendant of the Meng.
    He was born in the state of Zou about 372 BC
    and died in the town of Zou around 289 BC
    Mencius is a Chinese philosopher who is credited with
    advancing orthodox Confucianism and earning the title
    "second sage."
    IS HUMAN NATURE GOOD OR BAD?
    Mencius believed that human nature is innately good and
    that is why he created the four innate ethical dispositions
    or the “sprouts of virtue”.

    According to Mencius, if people nourish these “sprouts”


    of identification and sympathy, and extend such feelings
    to broader social and political relationships, they are
    going to be filled with a growing sense of irrepressible
    and intoxicating joy.
    SPROUT OF VIRTUE

    BENEVOLENCE RIGHTEOUSNESS

    WISDOM PROPRIETY
    BENEVOLENCE
    The feeling of compassion.

    Most fundamental aspect

    Not a matter of feeling.

    Will be inexhaustible
    RIGHTEOUSNESS
    The feeling of disdain is righteousness and
    the path for moral conduct.

    A fully righteous person would understand that


    receiving of large bribe is exactly as shameful as
    accepting a small bribe, so they would refuse to
    take either.
    RIGHTEOUSNESS
    Righteous people do what is right, what is good
    and godly. Only repentance and faith in the
    Righteous One may make one righteous.
    WISDOM
    The feeling of approval and disapproval is wisdom.
    To sense what is right and what is wrong.

    Wisdom involves an understanding of and commitment


    to the other virtues, especially benevolence and
    Righteousness.
    PROPRIETY
    The feeling of respect is propriety

    The purpose of propriety is to share ideas


    and social, allowing us to express our thoughts.
    COURAGE
    Mencius defines courage as exemplified stereotypical
    daring behavior (assaulting anyone who insults you),
    in fearlessness, and in a commitment to righteousness.

    Courage based on righteousness will lead to fearless


    opposition to wrongdoing, but also humble submission
    when one finds oneself in the wrong.
    Extension and Reflection
    One of the most intriguing issues in Mencius's philosophy
    is the proper way to understand his claim that
    we must “extend” (tui, ji, da) or “fill out” (kuo, chong)
    our innate but incipient virtuous reactions.

    Mencius refers to the mental activity required for full


    extension as “reflection (sī).” Whether someone engages
    in reflection is ultimately dependent upon the individual’s
    commitment to doing so.
    THE KING AND THE OX
    The king is best known for going to Mencius for
    advice. One day, the king asked Mencius how he could
    achieve his grand ambition of conquering other kingdoms.
    Mencius replied that he had nothing to offer but he
    did have much to say about how one could become
    “a true king.” The king’s interest was piqued, asked
    to hear more.
    THE KING AND THE OX
    Mencius knew that during a previous ceremony, the king
    had been disturbed by seeing a massive ox being led
    to a sacrifice. As if aware of its fate, the
    ox shook and struggled. The agonized king said the ox
    looked like an innocent man going to execution. Unable
    to bear it, he commanded that the sacrifice be stopped.
    THE KING AND THE OX
    The king decided that rather than the ox, a lamb
    should be sacrificed instead. Because of this incident,
    Mencius told the king possessed the innate and
    undying ability to feel compassion.

    Mencius explained that there is no difference between


    an ox and a lamb. The difference was in experience.
    “You’d seen the ox, but not the sheep,”
    THE KING AND THE OX
    The reason the king could not bear to
    see the ox slaughtered was that he witnessed
    the trembling ox—but he did not see the lamb.
    Mencius then turned the discussion to the armies King
    was sending out, causing death for his own people and
    his neighbors.
    THE KING AND THE OX
    The king claimed that he did not take delight in
    causing war, he only wanted it in order to reach
    his dream. He was incapable of doing otherwise.
    “When feathers can’t be lifted, someone isn’t using
    their strength,” Mencius responded. “And when the
    people aren’t watched over, someone isn’t using there
    compassion.” Here, Mencius was distinguishing between the -
    THE KING AND THE OX
    - unwilling and the incapable. If the king could feel
    compassion for an animal and save its life, he could
    feel compassion for people, give up military aggression,
    and find another way to rule. “If you aren’t a
    true king, it’s only because you’re unwilling, not because
    you’re incapable.” He must refuse to let his moral sense
    wither, Mencius said, and bring his virtue to full fruition.
    Only then would he be a true king.
    ACCORDING TO MENCIUS
    Given our innate capacity toward goodness, and given that
    we are able to self-cultivate with social support, we
    must refuse to let our empathy, sympathy, and compassion.
    In other words, Mencius expressed firm confidence in our
    resilience to rekindle our goodness, even when we have
    been damaged.
    HOW TO APPLY

    Mencius stated that "the king should treat his people


    with kindness," but in a moral manner, because a good
    king or leader knows where the boundaries are. For
    instance, the pandemic that we are currently dealing with;
    we should be more vigilant in our actions because many
    people are suffering. Some people choose to help others
    by giving food, clothes, shelter and medications to –
    HOW TO APPLY

    - those in need, while others choose to do wrong by


    scamming, stealing, and so on just to have money. When
    they're caught, they'll apologize and plead, which is why
    we shouldn't always be merciful because they still have
    to face the consequences so they don't do it again.
    Unfortunately, in our country's current leadership, they
    will just let you go because of your power and -
    HOW TO APPLY

    - wealth, even if you’ve done something wrong. As a Filipino


    citizen, we should always remember that the people or
    leaders who have supported and continue to support them
    are no different to them. Even if we have a
    virtue, it is still the people's choice to be a
    good human.
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qvmxbDomk90

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