Mencius
China, fourth century BCE
He held that people have incipient dispositions that can be cultivated into virtues.
Historical context
Mencius belongs to the Warring States period. The text associated with him presents conversations and arguments about moral cultivation and government.
Overview
A spontaneous reaction to another person’s danger illustrates an incipient disposition. Becoming a stable virtue requires attention, practice, and conditions allowing cultivation.
Main claims
Human beings have incipient dispositions capable of developing into virtues.
Debates and nuances
His examples connect moral formation to social and political conditions.
This entry provides educational context.