The book explores the issue of familial partiality in Confucian ethics and argues that moral partiality is justified based on Thomas Aquinas' theory of love. It challenges traditional arguments and offers an alternative perspective.

Format: Hardback
Length: 134 pages
Publication date: 29 July 2022
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

This book delves into the complex issue of familial partiality within the framework of Confucian family-oriented ethics. It explores whether it is morally praiseworthy to love one's family partially, while also considering the tension between familial partiality and egalitarian impartiality. The author examines the efficacy of three major arguments to justify moral partiality, including the tree argument, the evolutionary argument, and the care argument. Ultimately, the author proposes an alternative argument based on Thomas Aquinas's theory of love to interpret Confucian views on partial relationships. The book will appeal to scholars and students interested in Confucianism, Chinese philosophy, moral philosophy, and comparative philosophy.

Title: "The Ethics of Familial Partiality in Confucian Ethics"

This book explores the issue of familial partiality within the framework of Confucian family-oriented ethics. It examines whether it is morally praiseworthy to love one's family partially, while also considering the tension between familial partiality and egalitarian impartiality. The author reviews the tension between familial partiality and egalitarian impartiality from different perspectives and draws on binary metrics to understand the issue. The author carefully discusses the efficacy of three major arguments to justify moral partiality: the tree argument, the evolutionary argument, and the care argument. The author concludes that the tree argument fails to justify moral partiality in Confucianism, the evolutionary argument only justifies moral partiality in the weak sense that we should devote more resources to our family, and the care argument fails to justify moral partiality in the strong sense that family takes priority in any case even at the expense of the principle of justice. Seeking to address the quandary, the author advances an alternative argument based on Thomas Aquinas's theory of love to interpret Confucian views on partial relationships. The title of the book will appeal to scholars and students interested in Confucianism, Chinese philosophy, moral philosophy, and comparative philosophy.

Weight: 430g
Dimension: 234 x 156 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781032304465