Compare Mencius's ideas and Xunzi's ideas on human nature, and tell what contrasts and continuities you have found therein.
Mencius: the theory of original goodness of human nature. Mencius thinks that human beings are inherently good and we are born with the sense of morality.
Xunzi:the theory of original evil of human nature. Xunzi thinks that we start out nasty selfish devils who need our parents and teachers to whip us into shap.
On the whole, Mencius holds that men are born good, whilst Xunzi evil, and Confucius neither.
Both Mencius and Xunzi are Confucianists, which means that they both hold Ren as the very core of their thinking despite the conflicts. Where Xunzi identifies human nature with physical desires, and instead of vilifying it he argues that it must be controlled so as to achieve the idea of Confucianism. Moreover, he inherited and continued to applaud Confucius' conviction of hierarchy in preservation of the social order.
Xunzi, in his particular times, managed to fuse other schools of thinking that were conducive to developing Confucianism up to date, particularly legalism, which might have eluded Mencius and Confucius. And therefore by combing them, Xunzi was seeking for the right path to govern a state both effectively and pragmatically, covering both ethics and laws, taming and punishing, to put in simple terms, doable for Warring States princes.
Mencius argued that the xing of human beings is good , by which he meant that all human beings have the capacity to become good, even though, in reality, not all people are good, because they fail to exert themselves sufficiently—or even take the obligation seriously.
In Xunzi, “Human Nature is Evil” is framed as an argument with Mencius, and takes the view that the xing of human beings is the very opposite of Shan. But in prosecuting this position, Xunzi uses xing in a fundamentally different sense: “What is so by birth is called xing” . Thus xing refers to the basic faculties, capacities, and desires that we have from birth, which cannot be called “good” because following the impulses of our xing, without reflecting on them and moderating them, will lead us to act harm fully.
In effect, both Xunzi and Mencius argued that human beings all have the capacity to become good, even though some people develop this capacity and others do not . The main differences, only recently appreciated, are that they were not operating with the same implicit definitions of xing, and Xunzi’s recommendations for moral self-cultivation—that is, how to overcome one’s inherently detestable nature—were more complex than Mencius’s, as we shall see.
Difference：
Mencius believes in the goodness of human nature and he regards eduction a mean of daily accumulation of doodness;
Xvnzi considers the human nature evil thus he regards eduction as a mean of converting human's evil mind.
Continuety:
Similar to the opinion of Mencius, Xvnzi also puts emphasis on eduction. As follwers of Confucius, they both inherit the basic concepts of Confucianism, thought in differnt way. Mencius inclines to succeed instead of innovating. While Xvnzi advocates the combination of Confucianism, Leagalism and Taoism.
For the contrast, Mencius argued that human are born good while Xunzi argued that human are born evil. In Mencius's view, why human be human is ascrible to the gifted gooness inside. And even the baby could distinguish between good and bad and in the same time, they will tend to act like the goood ones and punish the bad ones. In Xunzi's view, some emotions such as jeaousy, anger and anxiety existed in human's innner world since they had been born.
For the continuities, I think Xunzi's iead is a development of Mencius's. Mencius's idea only put attention on partial part of human nature in my view. But human is an animal of complex nature which is the reason why people are all differernt from others. Jusr because of the complex, various nature, human could be a civilization lasting for thousands of years. Xunzi saw the difference in human. He not only see the goodness but also see the badness.
Mencius's ideas: original goodness of human nature. All of people are innately gifted with the heart of Ren and Mencius compares Ren with a body part of a person.
Xunzi's ideas: original evil of human nature. His thought is a little darker than other two representatives of Confucianism. Xunzi believes that man's inborn tendencies are evil, and he needs to be nurtured to bring out the goodness.
Xunzi believed that man's inborn tendencies were evil, and he needed to be nurtured to bring out the goodness.
Mencius believed in the original goodness of human beings.
Both Mencius and Xunzi had the same ultimate goal, they believed that human beings can become good through their hard work.
Mencius viewd humans as innately good. Compare with that ,Xunzi had a more comprehensive and pragmatic idea of human nature. Xunzi believed that man's inborn tendencies were evil，and he needed to be nurtured to bring out the goodness. His theory of human nature was a product of his time. Because the increase of producitivity, commodity economy began to prosper and people developed new understanding of wealth.The fight for interests, wealth and social status became the main stream, thus leading to the endless wars and collapse of morality. The evil of people began to expose. Xunzi tried to find a more pragmatic way to face squarely the physical needs of human beings and mantian the social order.
Both of them were seeking for a correct to meet the needs of human nature in their time through the practice of "Li",education. Besides the practice of "Li", Xunzi also believed "Fa" and influenced by Daoism, Mohism.
Mencius believes that human are born good. Human are born with goodness and sense of morality. For example, if there's a kid fell into a well, people have an urge to help him because of innate goodness.
Xunzi believes that human are born evil. The education will teach people to practice Li, to control our own behavior. If people don't practice Li and control himself, the society will be untamed.
Difference:
Mencius:
All humans are innately gifted with the heart of Ren, which is produced by a natural sense of commiseration. That is, he believes in the original goodness of human beings. He is idealistic.
Xunzi:
Man's inborn tendencies were evil, and he needed to be nurtured to bring out the goodness through education and "Li". He is naturalistic.
Continuities:
1. They both believe in the humanity and righteousness, and in education. Mencius put up forward three elements for a man to become a princely man, that is, daily accumulation, situational force and self-restraint, which is quite useful. Xunzi brought forth that human beings can be nurtured through education and "Li", which are relatively systematic and effective.
2. "Li" not only can help nurture the goodness of human nature, but also can maintain social order and peace because it contributed to the formation of hierarchy. Apart from "Li", Xunzi also upheld "Fa, legalism", which is also beneficial to the stability of society through establishing and implementing laws and regulations.
Both believe that human nature is innate. Mencius believed in the original goodness of human beings and the source of goodness in human nature needs to be expanded after the day, while Xunzi believes that goodness in human nature needs to be made after the day. Mencius believed that human nature is the beautiful nature that human beings have brought, while Xunzi believed that human nature is only the material nature of human beings, and beautiful things are available to postgraduates. Therefore, Mencius advocated the "theory of good nature", while Xunzi advocated the "theory of evil nature".
Mencius believes the theory of original goodness of human nature. He thinks human are born with goodness and morality, and these should be expaned in later days.
Xunzi belives the theory of original evil of human nature. He thinks that human are born with evil nature, and it should be restrained. And education and assistance from parents and other people could help.
Both Mencius and Xunzi belive that human nature is innate.
Menciudian human nature is the fundamental characteristic of human beings, which contains the "good" factor, that is, the moral character of human beings different from other animals; The human nature referred to by the XunZi refers only to the natural attributes that heaven gives to man, which contains only the "evil" factor, and the morality of man lies in the artificial cultivation of the day after.
On human nature,Mencius believes its original goodness, while Xunzi its original evil. The contrast between them lies as follows. Mencius holds that people are born with commiseration, which is the base of human-heartedness. And Xunzi, a Confucian in the period of the warring states, witnessed endless wars and collapse of morality caused by the uncontrolled desire for interests, wealth and social status, so he see human nature as something inherently evil. However, though Mencius and Xunzi had divergent opinions on human nature, they both put their emphasis on education or “Li”. From Mencius’ perspective, to be a princely man, to make his original human-heartedness stay, one must nourish the vital energy and accumulate righteousness by the means of daily accumulation, situational force and self-restraint. Then, despite Xunzi’s passive inference on human nature, he reckons that everyman is endowed with cognitive competence. Thus, the evil can be nurtured into goodness by the practice of “Li”, education, and the assistant force of the laws, for they limit, control and transform the inherently evil of human nature significantly.
Regarding the view of "human nature," Xunzi does not agree with Mencius' view that human nature is unique to human beings and is different from the nature of other creatures. According to Xunzi, there is no difference between human nature and the characteristics of other creatures, which are inherent and do not need to be grasped later. He believed that human nature is evil and requires acquired learning to curb its nature. Xunzi and Mencius both value human morality and emphasize the importance of moral education and moral cultivation.
Differences:
Mencius believed that human nature is good; Xunzi believed that human nature is evil.
According to Mencius, everyone can be good to others. As long as one "keeps one's heart and nurtures one's nature" and accepts the objective constraints of the outside world, one will have a loving heart. On the basis of his theory of the evil of nature, Xunzi proposed that people could be free from their evil nature and eventually attain goodness as long as they were educated and restrained by the laws of the state. He advocated the use of rites and laws to change people. And Xunzi acknowledged that everyone had the possibility of becoming a sage if they paid attention to the accumulation of goodness.
Mencius followed the line of morality, which pays little to rule of law but heavy to the role of social opinion and subjective self-consciousness, trying to gradually turn the people towards goodness through ritual and moral education. Xunzi believed that the law was essential to the governance of the state, and thus put forward the idea of 'rites and rituals with emphasis on the law'.
Similarities:
A common theoretical foundation - Confucius' view of human nature
The same goal: to eliminate evil and turn to good
The emphasis on acquired practice to achieve the goal
Generally, in terms of human nature, Mencius believes it is good, while Xunzi holds that it is original evil. Also, Xunzi was naturalistic and Mencius was idealistic. Their main difference is how human nature goes. Since man is born good, Mencius maintained that every individual is complete in himself and can be a sage. Also, they both believed in the perctibility of all men, in huamnity and righteousness as supreme virtues, in kingly government and education.
Xunzi believed that man's inborn tendencies were evil, and he needed to be nurtured to bring out the goodness.
Mencius believed in the original goodness of human beings.
Both Mencius and Xunzi had the same ultimate goal, they believed that human beings can become good through their hard work.
Mencius is idealistic while Hsun Tuz naturalistic.
For Hsun Tuz,all men were alike in nature but become different through practice.
For Mencius,human nature is good.Man is originally good,and love is therefore an inborn moral quality.
But they both believed in the perfectibility of all men,in humanity and righteousness as supreme virtues.
Comparison:
Mencius is optimistic, believing that man is innately gifted with the heart of Ren, the body part of a person produced by natural sense of commiseration.
Xunzi stands for the belief that human is inherently evil, which is said to be brought about by the distorted yet inevitable prosperity of social advancement, that is, the interests-oriented value and the wealth-seeking and social status-persuing outlook.
Continuities:
Both of then believe the Confuciusion thoughts, the human righteousness, and the nature of humanity.
Mencius puts forward the view that every single man is righteous and qualified to be gentleman, for he could feel the same fear of pain when seeing the dangerous situations of others. To be a gentleman, man should bases himself on daily accumulation, situational force, and self-restraints.
Xunzi also argues that man is inherited with the cognitive competence, by which Li could be integrated to rectify the evil-rooted heart, thus keeping the society stable.
Mencius is idealistic while Hsun Tuz naturalistic.
For Hsun Tuz,all men were alike in nature but become different through practice.
For Mencius,human nature is good.Man is originally good,and love is therefore an inborn moral quality.
But they both believed in the perfectibility of all men,in humanity and righteousness as supreme virtues.
Mencius is an advocate of the good-sex theory.The theory of good sex refers to the fact that people naturally have the possibility to be good.And Xunzi advocated the sexual evil theory.He believes that human nature is evil, at least with the possibility of going evil, and, without restriction, develops into evil.
Mencius's definition of human nature closely follows the difference between people and animals: whether there is benevolence, righteousness and morality.Mencius explores the nature of man with the social and moral attributes of man.And Xunzi said to the boundary of human nature, is to define the natural attribute of man as the essential attribute of man.He defines the innate nature of man as the essential nature of adults.
Mencius' theory of good nature holds that human beings are born with four "good ends" of compassion, shame, conciliation and right and wrong, which are externally manifested as four moral qualities of benevolence, righteousness, propriety and wisdom. Xunzi's theory of evil nature argues that people are born evil, only through the acquired environment and education to lead people to good development. Although the two seem to be extremely opposite and irreconcilable on the surface, there are essential commonness, complementarity and consistency behind the differences and opposites.
Mencius's ideas: original goodness of human nature. All of people are innately gifted with the heart of Ren and Mencius compares Ren with a body part of a person.
Xunzi's ideas: original evil of human nature. His thought is a little darker than other two representatives of Confucianism. Xunzi believes that man's inborn tendencies are evil, and he needs to be nurtured to bring out the goodness.
Mencius' theory of good nature holds that human beings are born with four "good ends" of compassion, shame, conciliation and right and wrong, which are externally manifested as four moral qualities of benevolence, righteousness, propriety and wisdom. Xunzi's theory of evil nature argues that people are born evil, only through the acquired environment and education to lead people to good development. Although the two seem to be extremely opposite and irreconcilable on the surface, there are essential commonness, complementarity and consistency behind the differences and opposites.
Mencius believes that the essential characteristics of human beings are that people have "commiseration, shame and dislike, mkdesty and yielding, right and wrong". These four hearts are the starting point of Mencius's theory of good nature. Good character and virtue such as propriety and righteousness are derived by the efforts of acquired people, rather than born. The most prominent in Xunzi's theory is the "sexual evil theory" opposite to Mencius' "sexual good theory". He believes that human nature is a natural attribute, which completely excludes any artificial factor.
Contrast:
The core difference in Xunzi and Mencius' philosophies is the different understanding of human nature. Mencius argues that human nature is good; Xunzi holds an opposite point that human nature is evil.
Continuty:
Though Xunzi denies that human nature is good, he admits that there is an internal motivation of people to become better. And they two both believed in Confucius and they both put emphasis on cultivation of men.
In the discussion of human nature, Mencius' theory of human nature emphasizes that human nature or nature is all good, because of the difference in acquired moral cultivation, talent has the distinction of good and evil. His theory of human nature is also called "good nature theory". Mencius' theory of human nature can be summarized into three aspects. First of all, human nature is a moral attribute that distinguishes human beings from animals. Second, the common law of human nature is good. Third, human kindness is a tendency, and it takes hard work to turn it into reality. However, Xunzi believed that human nature was evil, but he must persuade human beings to be good so as not to cause social chaos, so he put forward the idea of "changing nature to fake". His definition of sex is that it is born, not made.
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