講題：Harmonizing Justice: Self-Interest, Moral Sentiments, and the Practice of Justice
講者：Dobin Choi 教授 (University Lecturer, Institute for Philosophy, Leiden University, The Netherlands)
時間：2023年10月4日（三）上午10點至12點
地點：國立政治大學百年樓330222哲學系圖書室
主辦單位：國立政治大學哲學系
協辦單位：國立臺灣師範大學國文學系
演講摘要：In this essay, I examine how Mengzi’s account of justice is established upon his theoretical foundation of moral sentiment. I argue that Mengzi is concerned with establishing the practice of justice, which requires not only agents’ capacity to sympathize with the moral sentiments of others, but also their enacting properly the conventional rules to resolve the causes of such sentiments. To begin, I review contemporary discussions regarding the Confucian concept of justice, and argue that the essence of this concept should be sought within the actual practices that establish social justice, rather than seeking direct correspondence in Chinese philosophical thoughts with the rights-based conception of justice found in Western thought. Next, I delve into Mengzi’s understanding of justice by analyzing passages that exemplify the practice of justice. I also underscore Mengzi’s refutation of Yang Zhu’s self-interested doctrine as a demonstration of his deep commitment to establishing the practice of justice. Furthermore, I demonstrate how the Confucian practice of justice harmonizes people’s natural, self-interested desires and their natural, moral dispositions. This harmonization bears a resemblance to Hume’s notion of an artificial virtue of justice, which I elucidate to complement Mengzi’s view of justice. When confronted with disapproval regarding instances of injustice, Confucian agents respond with sympathy and engage in the practice of justice, aiming to rectify the causes of such disapproval. Finally, I argue that, despite the apparent similarities, the Confucian practice of justice fundamentally differs from Hume’s concept of artificial justice. While Humean agents practice justice primarily to safeguard their self-interest and satisfy their desires, Confucian agents are motivated to practice justice by their benevolent desires to care for the well-being of others.
