Human Nature and Moral Development in Mencius, Xunzi, Hobbes, and Rousseau

History of Philosophy Quarterly, 24 (2007), 147-168.

Mencius, Xunzi, Hobbes, and Rousseau were all political philosophers well known for their views on “human nature”.  I argue that, to some degree of approximation, their views about human nature can be best understood as views about the proper course of moral education, and that, consequently, a picture of moral development stands near the center of each man’s philosophy.  I then suggest that we can explore empirically which philosopher was nearest the truth.

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