國立臺灣大學哲學論評

Abstract /

Virtue and principle are two important subjects in Mencius’s ethics. This paper deals with them from viewpoint of ethics of virtue and of principle; The author indicates that Mencius’ four virtues, i.e. hearts of compassion, of shame, of courtesy and modesty, and of right and wrong are universal human endowments and essential to human life. There are four “principles” derived from them. That is, “jin”, “yi”, “li” and “chu.” The first two are essential ethical virtues while the others enabling ones. The author contends that Menciusian ethics is consequentialistic. Mencius believes his principles have universal and objective validity. But they are overridable. Moral agent has to choose a correct principle in the particular moral or political context by the principle of utility. This is a kind of utilitarian moral reasoning that is ignored by most of interpreters. Moreover, Mencius is a naturalistic and realistic moral philosopher. “The good” is defined by “that is desired.” But he conceives that good is a kind of property in thing itself being perceived by human being. In fact, what the good is not an issue in his philosophy. But it is important to moral reasoning since it is dependent up the principle of utility.