Abstract
Typically, Western moral philosophy has sought to understand questions of right and wrong in the absence of Eastern tradition. Yet, Aristotelian ethics has long been used as a lens with which Chinese philosophy can be read from a Western perspective. Since Confucianism, in particular, seems to acquiesce rather well with a virtue ethics, other moral philosophies are seldom applied to the Confucian canon. In this paper, I apply a consequentialist ethics, in support of existing philosophical papers following a similar consequentialist approach. Through this, Confucianism can be seen as a system designed to optimize collective efficacy in society, by stressing actions which lead to positive consequences. This lens allows for an expansion of consequentialist ethics into Confucian philosophy, while also opening Western moral philosophy to a new perspective.
Highlights
Drawing bridges between Western and Eastern philosophy does not come without its difficulties, and at times the endeavor is fraught with incompatibility. If those in the West ever wish to make a more intimate connection to the relevant and pragmatic branches of Chinese philosophy, Western traditions must be used as tools for understanding. This is not to say that Chinese philosophy is impervious to Western civilization’s moral sphere, but perhaps disseminating its philosophical tenets will be of significant use if we can fit them into already existing moral dimensions from Western tradition
Just as virtue ethics has served as a useful tool for drawing such a bridge, consequentialism may perform a useful task in providing an intriguing new lens into Chinese philosophy
Weldon | 75 matters is that there should be benevolence and rightness.”[1] a virtue ethics seems to best describe the totality of Confucian philosophy, I will argue for the consideration of a consequentialist ethics, based in Ivanhoe's concept of a 'character consequentialism', and expanding to other core tenets of Confucian thought
Summary
Drawing bridges between Western and Eastern philosophy does not come without its difficulties, and at times the endeavor is fraught with incompatibility If those in the West ever wish to make a more intimate connection to the relevant and pragmatic branches of Chinese philosophy, Western traditions must be used as tools for understanding. This is not to say that Chinese philosophy is impervious to Western civilization’s moral sphere, but perhaps disseminating its philosophical tenets will be of significant use if we can fit them into already existing moral dimensions from Western tradition. A virtue ethics seems to best describe the totality of Confucian philosophy, I will argue for the consideration of a consequentialist ethics, based in Ivanhoe's concept of a 'character consequentialism', and expanding to other core tenets of Confucian thought
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