5. The Ethics of the Mohist Dialogues

TLDR: In this paper, the authors argue that the ethics of the Dialogues is largely consistent with that of the middle and late chapters of the Core Chapters, but that the dialogues develop characteristic Mohist ethical ideas in several interesting ways.

Abstract: This chapter argues that the ethics of the Dialogues is largely consistent with that of the middle and late chapters of the Core Chapters, but that the Dialogues develop characteristic Mohist ethical ideas in several interesting ways. First, they clarify the Mohist conception of yi (morality, duty, right) as norms that can be explicitly expressed in yan (statements) and publicized and consistently followed by all with good consequences. Second, they present a series of views on moral worth that tie it to agents’ character and intentions. Third, they fill out the Mohist view of moral motivation and suggest how the Mohists might approach issues related to weakness of will. Finally, they present a new, demanding ideal of moral sagehood. The chapter explores the continuity between the Triplets and the Dialogues and then considers each of these four developments in turn. Keywords:ethics; Mohist dialogues; Triplets; yan ; yi