McRae is a contemporary philosopher specializing in Chinese philosophy and comparative ethics, with particular focus on Confucian moral psychology. Their work examines classical debates between Mencius and Xunzi on human nature, moral cultivation, and the metaphysical underpinnings of ethical development.
Analyzed the water-metaphor interpretation of Mencian moral psychology and its vulnerability to Xunzian critique
Contributed to comparative study of classical Confucian debates on human nature
Examined metaphorical frameworks in early Chinese ethical thought