• Journal for History of Mathematics
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.57-70
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• 2012

We will research the elementary formal logic and mathematical concept represented in Mojing, and focus on the ancient Chinese's mathematical principles implicit in Mojing. Moreover, the mathematical significance and values of Mojing are examined.

• (The)Study of the Eastern Classic
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• no.35
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• pp.275-295
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• 2009

The aim of this paper is to reject Graham's interpretation of bi (必) and xianzhi (先知) of Later Mohists' Mojing ("墨經") as logical necessity and a priori knowledge respectively. Graham's interpretations of them are based on his beliefs that Mojing distinguishes lun (論), the art of description from bian (辯), the art of inference in the Mohist disciplines and that the latter art should be seen as such a rigorous proof as Euclidean geometry even though it is not a Western formal logic. His beliefs also start from his distinguishing 'knowledge of names' from 'knowledge of conjunction of names and objects' according to the objects of knowledge. In my reading, the art of description and the art of inference, however, can't be sharply distinguished each other in Mojing and bi and xianzhi should be taken as suggesting both a normative necessity and an empirical necessity. A normative necessity is derived from 'normative theory of definition' which comes form the theory of rectification of names in China. The normative theory of definition, unlike the descriptive theory of definition, defines terms normatively rather than descriptively. For example, although such a definition of father, 'father is beneficient', has the form of being descriptive, but it actually is prescriptive and therefore means 'father should be beneficient'. Through this normative theory of definition, empirical knowledge, as long as it is a knowledge, is seen as necessary and so can't be wrong. To conclude, for Mohists an empirical knowledge is always a basis of an inferential knowledge or a priori knowledge, so Mohists' a priori knowledge is not really a fundamental knowledge and its necessity therefore is nothing but both a normative necessity and an empirical necessity.

• The Journal of Korean Philosophical History
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• no.29
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• pp.203-230
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• 2010

This article is aimed for to state the rationality of Mojia and reveal the scientific meaning in the theories related to the motion of objects in Mojing: the basic approach to the principle of gravitation in building castle, and comprehension and application of the principle in the lever devised for improving productivity as well as in an inclined plane. It is denied in this article that the technical advance and the positive influence on the people is achieved by Mojias only because they were occupied in the filed of craft. Mojia was one of the schools of Qin in the early stage who realized how important science wass for the better society focused on humanity. Furthermore, they were the frontiers who pursued the proper society through science. Therefore, the scientific theories claimed by Mojia is not emphasized only on the deducting regularity of nature. Instead, it could be theorized only by guaranteeing the welfare for common people and having close relation to it. The Chinese philosophy in the early Twentieth century had vigorous interest in the Mojia's opinions in science and set about conducting study in this part. Based on the study, it was revealed that the Mojia's opinion toward motion is superior to that of the West. Furthermore, it was proved to reflect the main idea in Mojia: the love for common people. Particularly, the theories from Mojia can be so applicable to today's life that some scholars regret the lack of interest in Mojia for the time and even scold themselves for the retarded progress in science of China.

• The Journal of Korean Philosophical History
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• no.32
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• pp.251-276
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• 2011

In old days when there were no developed producing devices like today, all the scholars insisted that we should economize products and that will lead to economic stability of a nation. But the in case of Mozi, he criticized the ruler's extravagance and wastefulness. He tried to prove the result and its' effect on national economy and people's usual life. He also tried to protect and improve people's fortunes and productivity through his theories. He is one of the first scholars who thought about the relationship between labor cost, price theory and product circulation. His theories are in the book of Mojing. He thought that material condition makes a great impact on the people's ethical life and social systems. He devoted his life to improve his theory- if the nobility do not waste and exploit; the national economy will be developed. In Mozi's Economical theory, we can find out his love for the people and desire for the people's welfare.