Schools of Philosophy
Mohism
MOH-iz-uhm
Also Known As Universal Love The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy's own entry cautions this popular rendering of jian ai overstates the doctrine's emotional content: jian carries the sense of including everyone within a whole, and ai here typically refers to a dispassionate concern for welfare rather than passionate attachment, so the entry judges inclusive care the better translation.
Citation Formats
General Reference
APA Style
BibTeX
Mohism was an influential philosophical and social movement in ancient China, founded by Mozi and flourishing from roughly the late fifth century BCE. It defended a consequentialist ethics grounded in impartial concern for everyone's welfare, opposed offensive warfare, and argued for meritocratic government, believing moral standards could be objectively established through explicit, step-by-step reasoning rather than inherited custom.
Facts
Start YearDated to Mozi's own floruit, circa 430 BCE; no more precise founding date is attested. Cross-Tradition Connections
Associated With
Mohism argued for meritocratic government and against offensive warfare, placing it in dialogue with political philosophy as well as ethics.
Founded By
In Branch
Sources
1. Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy
Stanford University, Center for the Study of Language and Informationentry: Mohism, IntroductionQuote, entry: Mohism, Introduction
They were the first in the tradition to engage, like Socrates in ancient Greece, in an explicit, reflective search for objective moral standards and to give step-by-step, tightly reasoned arguments for their views.
1. Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy
Stanford University, Center for the Study of Language and Informationentry: Mohism, Section 7 Ethical Theory (Inclusive Care)Quote, entry: Mohism, Section 7 Ethical Theory (Inclusive Care)
sometimes translated as 'universal love' but probably better rendered as 'inclusive care.'
1. Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy
Stanford University, Center for the Study of Language and InformationFounded By: Mozi, entry: Mohism, Section 1 Mozi and the MohistsQuote, Founded By: Mozi, entry: Mohism, Section 1 Mozi and the Mohists
One passage depicts King Hui of Chu (488-432 BCE) refusing to grant him an audience because of his low social status.
Reader Challenges (0 open reader challenges)
No disputes yet. Spotted an error or a better source? Open the first one.
Sign in to dispute this or suggest a correction.
View At A Past Year
The atlas records no dated fact of its own for this entry, so there is no other year to choose.