Situation And Character

As one of the representatives of the situationist ethicists,John Doris utilizes a series of social psychology experiments to argue that globalism,which is represented by virtue ethics,is problematic and should be replaced by the system of fragmentation of character of situationism.While it brings about a serious challenge to virtue theory,Doris' criticism faces responses from the adherents of virtue ethics.The main goal of this paper is to exam situationism from the perspective of Xunzi,for this approach has its possibility and necessity in form of a thought experiment.On the one hand,the nature of target of Doris' criticism is all the theories that match globalism,and his comments on eastern culture are inadequate.On the other hand,the "single-mindedness" in Xunzi implies his emphasis on consistency and evaluative integration of character traits.The moral evaluation system in Xunzi shows its abstractness through his distinction between gentleman and petty person.Also,the unity of benevolence,ritual and propriety faces Doris'criticism of evaluative integration.This paper will argue that the interaction between situation and character is capable of integrating and dispelling the criticism from situationism.First,Xunzi has paid attention to the influences of situations on personal emotions and behavior through "people's accoutrements make them so" and "what you rub up makes this so".Second,Xunzi utilizes the power of teachers,friends and the social customs into the course of self-cultivation of virtue,constituting the first stage of the interaction between situation and character which I call "from situation to sage".Third,in order to eliminate the chaos and maintain the social order for people's moral cultivation,the sage creates the ritual assisted by law and music.The second stage,which I call "from sage to situation",dispels the criticism of situationism together with the first one.While the response to situationism from the perspective of Xunzi has its limitations,it entails great significance.Firstly,it provides the situation-character debate with a new approach and rich resources.Secondly,through the deep look into the factor of situation in Xunzi,this research of Xunzi's moral philosophy will be equipped with new perspectives.Thirdly,this paper hopes to offer a possible way for Chinese philosophy to openly participate into the cutting-edge debates of global philosophy.