Philosopher
Mozi
fl. 440–420 BCE
Also known as Mo Di, Master Mo
Founder of Mohism, who argued for impartial care for everyone and against offensive war, and was the first Chinese thinker to argue systematically for his views.
Regard others’ states as though regarding one’s state, regard others’ families as though regarding one’s family, and regard other persons as though regarding one’s person.
Little is known of Mozi’s life. He may have been a craftsman before becoming a teacher, and he led a disciplined movement whose members included experts in defending cities under siege. The Mozi, compiled by his followers, records their teachings.
Against the Confucians, the Mohists argued that we should care for everyone impartially rather than favouring our own family and state, and that policies should be judged by whether they benefit the people. They condemned aggressive war and lavish ritual and music. They were also China’s first systematic arguers, and later Mohists did pioneering work in logic and science. His dates are approximate: he was active around 430 BCE.
Key ideas
- Inclusive care
- We should care about other people’s lives, families and communities as much as our own, and work for their benefit. Mozi blamed partiality for the wars and cruelty of his time.
- Judging by benefit
- The Mohists advanced the world’s earliest form of consequentialism. Practices are right if they promote the welfare of all, understood as several goods such as material wealth, a large population and social order.
- Condemning aggression
- Wars of aggression are wrong for the reasons that theft, robbery and murder are wrong. They injure others for private gain and bring no benefit to Heaven, the spirits or society at large.
- Moderation in use
- Mozi condemned extravagant funerals, prolonged mourning and lavish music because they waste resources that could otherwise feed and clothe the common people.
- Objective standards (fa)
- Mozi looked for reliable, impartial standards, or models, to guide judgement and action. The intent of Heaven, the noblest and wisest moral agent, was the ultimate standard of what is right.
- Tradition
- Chinese
- Schools
- Mohism
- Period
- Classical Chinese
Influences
Influenced by
Mozifl. 440–420 BCE
Influenced
Influenced by
Mozifl. 440–420 BCE
Influenced
Where these links come from
- Mozi argued against Confucius. Source: Bryan Van Norden, Mencius, Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy
- Mencius argued against Mozi. Source: Bryan Van Norden, Mencius, Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy
- Zhuangzi argued against Mozi. Source: Chad Hansen, Zhuangzi, Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy
- Xunzi argued against Mozi. Source: Paul R. Goldin, Xunzi, Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy
- Han Fei argued against Mozi. Source: Yuri Pines, Legalism in Chinese Philosophy, Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy
Key works
- Mozi
- Read free at Project Gutenberg (in Classical Chinese)