The Comparison Of Outlook On Morality And Happiness Between Kant And Mencius

Kant and Mencius distinctive Telford concept had a major impact in the history of both China and the West. Although Kant and Mencius belong to different times, different nationalities and different ideological system and there were obvious differences as regards exploring many aspects of their field, their issues of morality and of happiness have shared a lot of similar ideas and insights.Kant and Mencius both affirm the absolute nature of moral values and human dignity on the problems of the absolute and relative natures of moral issues. Kant thinks that only the moral value is the highest and most distinguished in all values, far above any other values, such as wisdom, courage, health, wealth, and honor. Good Will is the moral value which is an unconditional or absolute good beyond any outside conditions. It is good because of the goodness itself. Mencius believes that all people have "the heart that can not bear people". The existence and happening of such an issue is unconditional. The heart of Pity, the heart of shaming, the heart of politely refusal and comity, the heart of distinguishing right from wrong are the subject of ethics which is inherent in people's minds.On the issue of morality and happiness, Kant and Mencius believe that morality and happiness are in conflict and morality is higher than the happiness. However, they also have different opinions on the happiness as a result of the different understanding of human nature. Starting from the dual natures of people, i. e. rationality and emotionality, Kant fully affirms the people's emotional happiness and recognizes the pursuit of happiness. But Mencius only recognizes the happiness in line with the Codes of Ethics. He carries on with the spirit of Confucian ethics of putting moral duty above personal benefits: "Gentleman is persuaded by moral duty while Snob by the benefits,"On the question of unity of morality and happiness, Kant achieves the perfect unity of the moral and happiness through the"excellence", and Mencius puts forward that in the real world, through their self-cultivation, people achieve"the natural representation mind"to obtain the happiness.