Week 3: The Mencius (In Sections)

This week we read sections of The Mencius, particularly focusing on the arguments between Mencius and Gaozi on the nature of humanity either being innately good or indifferent, taking on shapes like water. Mencius argues that although water has no preference to flow east or west, it does in fact always flow downward. Mencius’ point is that although humans can “flow” toward good or bad it is innate in us to be good. Mencius says that we are born with four seeds: the seed of humanity, the seed of righteousness, the seed of ritual, and the seed of wisdom (what allows us to distinguish right and wrong) and it is these that make us human.

In 2A.6. Mencius continues his explanation of the “seeds” and states that “anyone who lacks a sense of right and wrong cannot be a person”. This made me wonder. In various mental illnesses it seems that the sufferer can struggle greatly with distinguishing right from wrong. Would this mean in Mencius’ eyes they are not a person? Not to mention “right” and “wrong” being subjective to begin with. As a result, I found this to be an extremely bold statement to make.