Abstract
Typically, Western moral philosophy has sought to understand questions of right and wrong in the absence of Eastern tradition. Yet, Aristotelian ethics has long been used as a lens with which Chinese philosophy can be read from a Western perspective. Since Confucianism, in particular, seems to acquiesce rather well with a virtue ethics, other moral philosophies are seldom applied to the Confucian canon. In this paper, I apply a consequentialist ethics, in support of existing philosophical papers following a similar consequentialist approach. Through this, Confucianism can be seen as a system designed to optimize collective efficacy in society, by stressing actions which lead to positive consequences. This lens allows for an expansion of consequentialist ethics into Confucian philosophy, while also opening Western moral philosophy to a new perspective.
Recommended Citation
Weldon, Daniel
(2023)
"Expanding the Confucian Framework: Consequences and Character,"
International Journal of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activities: Vol. 9:
Iss.
2, Article 9.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.7710/2155-4838.1170
Available at:
https://digitalcommons.cwu.edu/ijurca/vol9/iss2/9