The Second Sage: Mencius on Innate Goodness and the Right to Revolution
Episode 1064
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Description:
In this episode, we profile Mencius (Meng Ke), the Warring States philosopher known as the "Second Sage" of Confucianism. We explore his optimistic counter-argument to the cynical Xunzi, proposing that human nature is inherently righteous and humane rather than evil.
Key topics covered in this episode include:
- The Child in the Well: We break down Mencius’s famous thought experiment illustrating the "Four Beginnings" of virtue—benevolence, righteousness, propriety, and wisdom—which he argues are as natural to humans as their four limbs.
- A Mother’s Influence: We retell the legendary stories of Mencius’s mother, Meng Mu, who famously moved their home three times to find a suitable environment for her son’s education and cut her own weaving to teach him the value of persistence.
- The Mandate to Overthrow: We analyze his radical political philosophy, which asserts that a ruler who governs harshly or ignores the people's needs acts as a mere "villain" and may be justifiably overthrown.
- Ancient Economics: We look at his practical advice for kings, including the implementation of free trade, low tax rates, and the sustainable harvesting of natural resources to ensure prosperity for the common citizen.
Published on 1 week, 1 day ago