Harmonising with Heaven and Earth: Reciprocal Harmony and Xunzi's Environmental Ethics

Chua Yi Jonathan

Environmental Values, 2022, vol. 31, issue 5, 555-574

Abstract: Xunzi's philosophy provides a rich resource for understanding how ethical relationships between humans and nature can be articulated in terms of harmony. In this paper, I build on his ideas to develop the concept of reciprocal harmony, which requires us to reciprocate those who make our lives liveable. In the context of the environment, I argue that reciprocal harmony generates moral obligations towards nature, in return for the existential debt that humanity owes towards heaven and earth. This can be used as a normative basis for an environmental ethic that enables humanity and nature to flourish together.

Keywords: Confucian ethics; Xunzi; instrumental harmony; relational harmony; reciprocal harmony (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:sae:envval:v:31:y:2022:i:5:p:555-574

DOI: 10.3197/096327122X16386102423985

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