1. There are three goods that the Mohists stress repeatedly as goals. Identify them. (Hint: See the openings of "Honoring the Worthy," "For Moderation in Funerals" and the list of Heaven's desires in "Heaven's Will.") Are there any important goods that the Mohists have left out of their list? What would they be? How might Mozi (or some of his followers) defend his list of goods against the claim that he has left some goods out?

 

2. In your selection from "Against Fatalism," the Mohists identify "three gauges." Notice that the same three gauges are applied in the "On Ghosts" essay. What are these "gauges" indicators of? Do they indicate the truth (or falsity) of a doctrine? Or are they simply indicators of the pragmatic usefulness of accepting (or acting in accordance with) a doctrine? Or did the Mohists not see truth and pragmatic usefulness as separated?

 

3. How would Kongzi respond to "Honoring the Worthy"? In particular, what parts of the essay might he agree with, and what parts might he disagree with? Cite particular passages from the Analects in your answer.

 

4. In the opening of "Obeying One's Superior," the Mohists present an account of what Western philosophers call life in the "state of nature" and how it led to the formation of social hierarchy. Why do the Mohists think that social hierarchy is necessary? Do you find their account of the "state of nature" plausible? Why or why not?

 

5. In "Obeying One's Superior," the Mohists stress that a subordinate should "offer proper remonstrance when a superior commits a transgression." How would they respond to the objection that the system they advocate gives subordinates no real power to check abuses of authority by superiors?

 

6. In the system described in "Obeying One's Superior," is the power of the Son of Heaven absolute, or are there some limits on his authority? (See also "Heaven's Will.")

 

7. "Impartial Caring" is one of the most interesting chapters in the Mozi, and a fascinating achievement of early Chinese philosophy. It deserves careful study. One issue to consider is the following: the Mohists condemn partiality and advocate impartiality. Who are the advocates of partiality in their era? Are the Confucians the advocates of partiality? Does what Kongzi advocates seem like partiality as the Mohists conceive of it? Or do the Mohists have the followers of Yang Zhu in mind when they criticize partiality? (For Yang Zhu, see the Introduction to the Mengzi selections.) Do the Mohist arguments work better against Confucians or followers of Yang Zhu?

 

8. In "Impartial Caring" we see what is perhaps the first use in Chinese philosophy of what Western philosophers call a "thought experiment." A thought experiment is when we are asked to consider what our intuitions would be regarding an imaginary situation that is designed to illustrate some point. The Mohists use a thought experiment when they ask us to consider "to whom would one entrust the well-being of one's parents, wife and children" if one had to leave on a dangerous mission. What is this thought experiment supposed to demonstrate? Does it succeed in demonstrating it? Why or why not?

 

9. Could one create a situation in which a person who believed in "partiality" would have reason to defend someone else's family? Furthermore, would you rather trust the well- being of your familiy to a Confucian friend or to a person who believes in impartiality? Why? Can a person who acts in accordance with impartiality have friends? Why or why not?

 

10. In "Impartial Caring," have the Mohists shown that we have reason to be impartial, or have they shown that we have reason to want others to be impartial, or have they shown that we have reason to want others to believe that we are impartial (whether we really are or not)?

 

11. Toward the end of "Impartial Caring," the Mohists give some examples involving King Ling of Chu, Gou Qian (King of Yue), and Duke Wen of Jin. Be careful! Students frequently misunderstand these examples! Are the Mohists defending the particular actions or these rulers, or are they using them merely to illustrate some fact about human beings? Precisely what claim are these examples evidence for? How does this claim fit in with the rest of the Mohist argument in this chapter?

 

12. What might Kongzi say in response to the Mohist essays, "For Moderation in Expenditures," "For Moderation in Funerals," and "A Condemnation of Musical Performances"? In particular, are there any things in these essays that Kongzi might actually agree with? How might Kongzi and the Mohists disagree over the purpose of funeral rituals, musical performances, and some other expenditures? Cite particular passages from the Analects in your answer.

 

13. What is "On Ghosts" supposed to convince us of? Do you find its arguments compelling? Why or why not?

 

14. The Chinese phrase for "human nature" (ren xing) never occurs in the selections from the Mohist writings that you have in this anthology. (See "xing" under Important Terms.) Why do you think this is? (Hint: The examples at the end of "Impartial Caring" and the discussion of the "state of nature" at the beginning of "Obeying One's Superior" are relevant to this question.)

 

15. It has been said that some ethical philosophers emphasize moral rules, while others emphasize producing the best consequences, and yet others emphasize cultivating good character. In what group (or groups) do the Mohists belong? Do they differ in this respect from Kongzi?

 

16. The Mohist selections in your anthology are written in a very different style from the Analects of Kongzi. How is the style different? (Can you name their respective styles?) Why are the styles different? Are there any historical reasons (having to do with the composition of the texts) that account for the differences? Is there any reason why these styles might suit the educational and philosophical views of the respective thinkers?

 

17. If you have read some Western philosophy, in what ways and to what extent does the Mozi seem different from it? In particular, how does it differ in its style of writing, methodology, underlying assumptions, and conclusions? (The most productive contrasts will probably be between some specific Western philosopher -- e.g., Plato, Aristotle, Kant -- and Mozi, rather than trying to generalize about all of Western philosophy.)

 

18. Was Mozi a philosopher? (If you think that Mozi is a philosopher but Kongzi is not, explain what the relevant difference is.)

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