24. Measuring Up: Mohist philosophy
An introduction to the Mozi, the founding text of an anti-elitist school of thought that tests social and political practices by the measure of “benefit.”
Themes:
• C. Fraser (trans.), The Essential Mòzǐ: Ethical, Political, and Dialectical Writings (Oxford: 2020).
• I. Johnston (trans.), The Mozi: a Complete Translation (Hong Kong: 2010).
• J. Knoblock and J. Riegel (trans.), Mozi: a Study and Translation of the Ethical and Political Writings (Berkeley: 2013).
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• A. Birdwhistell, “An Approach to Verification beyond Tradition in Early Chinese Philosophy: Mo Tzu’s Concept of Sampling in a Community of Observers,” Philosophy East and West 34 (1984), 175-83.
• J. Boltz, “Daozang and Subsidiary Compilations,” in F. Pregadio (ed.), The Encyclopedia of Taoism, vol. 1, (New York: 2008), 28–33.
• C. Defoort and N. Standaert (eds), The Mozi as an Evolving Text: Different Voices in Early Chinese Thought (Leiden: 2013).
• C. Fraser, The Philosophy of the Mozi: The First Consequentialists (New York: 2016).
• A.C. Graham, Later Mohist Logic, Ethics, and Science (Hong Kong: 1978; reprinted 2003).
Comments
Or perhaps we should say "who"
Greetings,
Great episode. I confess that I like Mozi. Not necessarily because I think it is superior philosophically, though perhaps it is,but I enjoyed its working class sensibilities, more respect for the common man, and somewhat rejection of courtliness as the only standard. I may be overestimating this, but I liked it.
I was also struck by the brief mention of the "personalization" of the idea of heaven, and I would love to hear more analysis of that. I am personally, a personal theist, and I am intrigued by how that concept may or may not have developed in other cultures. How personal was this conception of heaven by the Mohists? Did it actually approach anything like what we might call god? What about in Chinese culture as a whole? My broad and very shallow understanding is that the concept of god didn't really take hold much, until maybe Buddhism was introduced (and even there the god-hood of Buddha is equivocal).
Was the desire of people to have contact with a "transcendent" person, satisfied through ancestor worship, rather than a unique god?
Have you discussed this in other episodes, or might you in the future?
Keep up the great work. Thanks.
Sincerely,
Acarya dasa
In reply to Or perhaps we should say "who" by Acarya dasa
Heaven in Mohism
Thanks, glad you liked the episode! Indeed there is another episode coming up where we'll be talking about the "religious" aspects of Mohism, in particular the Mohist view of Heaven and "ghosts" i.e. ancestral spirits.
New theme for Chinese Philosophy?
Professor are we going to be having the same theme throughout this series on Classical Chinese Philosophy or do you plan on changing it, if so when?
When we reach Daoism ?
Legalism?
Or when we reach the episodes following from the Han Dynasty since that would be new epoch
In reply to New theme for Chinese Philosophy? by dukeofethereal
New theme
Right, I was thinking new music when we get to the Han. Might also divide the dropdown menu when we get to that, it would make sense at that point.
In reply to New theme by Peter Adamson
Enough episodes to warrant a dropdown for Han?
Are there enough episodes (scripted/interview) that will warrant a dropdown menu/ separate theme for Han?
Based on your scripted episodes;
'Philosophy in the Han
Empire and philosophy
Yin-Yang thought
Developments in metaphysics
Ancient Chinese medicine
The Daybooks
The arrival of Buddhism
Themes in Chinese Buddhism (several episodes)'
Obviously this could change... as it's tentative.
In reply to Enough episodes to warrant a dropdown for Han? by dukeofethereal
Han Philosophy
Yes I think it will be enough since we are planning to do quite a bit on early Chinese Buddhism, but it won't be nearly as many episodes total as the Warring States period.
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