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Mencius 孟子

c. 372–289 BCE · Chinese (Confucian)

The Confucian who argued human nature is innately good.

Primary Source

Primary Source

人皆有不忍人之心

Original (Chinese)

“All people have a mind that cannot bear to see the suffering of others.”

Mencius 2A.6

Biography

Student Synthesis

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Major Works

Key Concepts

Influence & Modern Scholarship

Secondary Scholarship

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Connections

Thinkers in conversation with Mencius:

Thinker

Confucius

Thinker

Laozi

Related Human Questions

Question

Can Virtue Be Taught?

Question

What is Justice?