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    Mencius explicitly argues that humans who follow only ins... — Carmelics
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    Challenges→Following one's instinct for self-preservation is the highest expression of Heaven's will

    Mencius explicitly argues that humans who follow only instinct are no different from animals, since ren and yi distinguish human nature from mere biological drives.

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    1 reason for
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    Reasons For

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    Reason for
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    • 1.Ren (benevolence) and yi (righteousness) require deliberative choice absent in pure instinct, marking a categorical human distinction.
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    • 2.Animals lack moral agency and cannot cultivate virtues through self-reflection, which Mencius sees as essential to humanity.
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    • 3.Mencius's theory of innate moral sprouts assumes humans possess latent ethical capacities animals entirely lack biologically.
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    Reasons Against

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    Reason against
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    • 1.Animals display proto-moral behaviors (altruism, reciprocity, fairness) suggesting continuity rather than categorical difference from humans.
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    • 2.Instinct and virtue need not be opposed; humans may express ren and yi *through* refined instincts rather than *against* biological drives.
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    • 3.Mencius may conflate 'acting on mere instinct' with 'having instincts,' when the distinction between unreflective and reflective action matters more.
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    Connections

    2 topics

    Virtue Ethics1 linkedDivine Attributes1 linked

    Related

    Animals display proto-moral behaviors (altruism, reciprocity, fairness) suggesti...Animals lack moral agency and cannot cultivate virtues through self-reflection, ...Following one's instinct for self-preservation is the highest expression of Heav...Instinct and virtue need not be opposed; humans may express ren and yi *through*...
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    Mencius may conflate 'acting on mere instinct' with 'having instincts,' when the...Mencius's theory of innate moral sprouts assumes humans possess latent ethical c...Ren (benevolence) and yi (righteousness) require deliberative choice absent in p...

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    claim
    Perspectives
    2 (1 for, 1 against)
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    1 edit