Good Confucianism book (pdf) - Department of Physics

90 Menciuspoint of view. There is no reason to become educated in morality, to be agentleman, or to practice humanity.Mencius responded to all of this by saying that human nature is good. 6Be careful with this statement. Mencius was not a fool; he lived in theworld as we do, and he knew that there were many nasty people out there.What he is saying is that human nature is good, not that human beings aregood. He says that human nature has within it the potential to grow intogoodness, just as a fruit tree has the potential to grow fruit.It is all very well to say that human nature is good, but, by Mencius ’time, one would have to do more than just say it: Mencius had to prove it.Mencius uses a form of argument, common in his time, called analogicalreasoning: using an analogy to make his point. As we shall see, he takesA, describes how it works, and compares it to B, arguing that B works inthe same way.Mencius backs up his claim that human nature is good by approachingthe issue in five ways. First he talks about the four “ sprouts ” or beginnings.Human nature contains within it four sprouts. We are born with them.Everyone has a mind/heart that contains within it compassion, shame, respect,and the knowledge of right and wrong. A mind/heart with the sprout ofcompassion leads to humanity. A mind/heart with the sprout of shame leadsto rightness. A mind/heart with the sprout of reverence and respect leads toritual. A mind/heart with the sprout of right and wrong leads to wisdom.Humanity, rightness, ritual, and knowledge are not strapped on to us fromthe outside; we most certainly have them already. 7These sprouts or beginnings are: compassion, shame/dislike, modesty, and asense of right and wrong. These sprouts are things we are born with and arepart of our emotional reactions to the world. If we cultivate these sprouts,like a farmer growing a crop, they will develop into moral qualities. Thefirst, compassion, is a natural sympathy towards others. If we nurture that,it will grow into the virtue of humanity – putting ourselves in the shoes ofothers. The second sprout or tendency is shame. When we do somethingwrong, we are ashamed of ourselves. If we nurture that, it will grow intorightness: knowing what is proper, what is right, and what is moral. Weare born with a sprout of modesty that, if cultivated, becomes knowingwhat is proper, knowing ritual. Finally we are born with a sense of rightand wrong and that, if tended, will become wisdom. These sprouts are thebeginning of goodness.Is Mencius right? Do we have these sprouts? Certainly small childrendo, at various stages, show a sense of compassion toward others. As well,we have all heard the child ’ s cry, “ It ’ s not fair! ” that presumes some senseof right and wrong. Modesty may be more culturally learned and it is dif-