Mozi · Philosophy

The Three Tests: How to Judge a Doctrine

Mozi&rsquo;s method for deciding whether any doctrine is worth believing: test it by its <em>root</em> (does it accord with the precedent of the sage-kings?), its <em>evidence</em> (do the eyes and ears of ordinary people confirm it?), and its <em>use</em> (does adopting it benefit the country and the people?) - an early fusion of empiricism and consequentialism.

What you'll be able to recall

You learned that Mozi demanded every doctrine be measured by a fixed standard, and proposed three tests - the basis in the sage-kings, the verification in the senses of the common people, and the application judged by benefit - an early empiricist and consequentialist method for evaluating claims. Explain the three te…

Leads to Jeremy Bentham.

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