Episode 27: Mohism—Two Arguments for Impartial Caring

This episode examines the Mohist doctrine of impartial caring (jian'ai) via two arguments in the Mozi -- the Caretaker Argument and the Filial Piety Argument. We examine the arguments' logical structure, psychological plausibility, and practical applicability. We also discuss the importance of reciprocity, and competing interpretations of "impartial caring," from the less demanding don't-harm-anyone interpretation to stronger equal-concern readings, setting them against the Confucian model of...