Philosophy East and West

Abstract:

The purpose of this article is to clarify that, although Mencius and Hutcheson are interpreted as "moral sentimentalists," benevolence may not be rooted purely in feelings and sentiments. On my reading, Mencian-Hutchesonian thought experiments invite us to use our rational capacity and engage in cognitively elaborated forms of empathy, which refer to complex processes that require simulation, perspective taking, and initiation on behalf of the agent herself.