A Research On The Ethical Thoughts Of Mohist School

Mohism’s reputation ever matched Confucianism’s for a time in the pre-Qin days. Mohist School developed some scientific achievement which was the champion all over the world before 2000 years. The consequence of studying mohism is self-evident under the background of Knowledge Based Economy.Mo-tse was the one and only thinker who gained reverence by saying "benefit". The conception of "benefif" and "love"is of importance in the ethical thinking of ancient China.This investigation can both fill "the defect of studying Mohism"and correct "the deflection of studying Confucianism". This paper will survey Mohist ethical ideology from three points of view in order to bring forth its panorama.This dissertation includes three books. The first book involves chapter 1-3, which works over the characteristics of Mohist ethical theory. My investigating shows that the core of Mohist moral theory is not "universal love"but "promoting public good and eliminating harm all over the world".Mohist ethics, which framemork looks like a lantern, is a utilitarian theoretical system consists of the ultimate principle of "promoting public good and eliminating harm all over the world", the behavior criterion of "the ten-theory"and the basic moral category of "benefit"and"love". The correlative research also makes know that the course of creating Mohism is a list as follows:Mo-tse was bron in a poor familyâ†'learning the art of woodworkerâ†'forming the values of stressing benefit(advocating justice:promoting public good and eliminating harm all over the world)â†'learning confucianismâ†'insupportableness to the life style of bad Confuciansâ†'anti-confucianismâ†'proposing thrift(simple and crude bury; anti-music)â†'anti-aggressionâ†'universal loveâ†'sparkpluging obedienceâ†'upholding wise menâ†'blaming fatalismâ†'complying with the will of heaven (believing in the rewards and punishments from ghost). The cause of formation of Mohism associates tightly with the founder’s character and temperament, working circumstance and academia.The second book involves chapter 4-5, which compares Mohist theory with representational moral theory picking from both China and the West. Comparing with Aristotle’s ethis (also lived in Axial Age), we found that Aristotle’s ethics can be intiuled "induvidul virtue ethics"because of its basing on "self-governed person", while Mohist character theory can be named "collectivism virtue ethics"for its emphasizing "the benefit of world". Comparing with Mill’s utilitarianism, Mohist theory can be intituled "utilitarian for dress warmly and eat one’s fill" which claims "anti-music", while Mill’s hedonism can be named "well-to-do theory of utility". Another comparative research on the relation between Mohism and Confucianism, Taoism, Legalism in the pre-Qin days makes it clear that philosophers in pre-Qin days payed more or few attention to conception of "love"and "benefit" set store by Mohist, they had different opinions on human natre but they evidently used for reference each other from positive or negative aspect.The third book involves chapter 6 including four sections. It makes a brief summing-up for the application of Mohist theory in practice. These ideological resources can be used for reference in today’s moral practice.