PHIL 3920 Lecture 27: Xunzi
Document Summary
Mengzi and xunzi have very different views on self-cultivation. Mengzi believes you extend the sprouts (as we are born good ). Xunzi believes we are born bad and cultivate ourselves through deliberate action. It"s worth noting that while xunzi believes we (humanity) is born bad, it"s not the war raging, blooding spilling sort of bad, but rather a natural selfish desire sort of bad. So they established rituals and the standards of righteousness . For xunzi ritual/righteousness are tied together and bound together (unlike. Kongzi, whose connection with the two are uncertain). For xunzi ritual provides the shift from primordial chaos to order. The way is not part of our innate desires, however, it will provide the most satisfaction. The way prunes and shapes our desire. It"s a starting point, and opposes wei (deliberate effort). Know well to abide by the proper measure . Mengzi and xunzi both believe you should die for righteousness (6a10).