Confucian Optimization: The Axiomatic Way of Benevolence
Confucius said: “there is one single thread binding my way together.” (The Analects, 4:15) We discover that his Way of Benevolence is a full-fledged axiomatic system of moral decision making, centering on the principle of utility maximization with benevolent preferences. We derive four context-free comparative statics propositions that apply to all social settings (e.g., family, friendship, and politics): homo benevolens (1) benefit others, (2) sacrifice selves, (3) improve social welfare, and (4) cooperate better. Supported by reliable pre-Qin records, our rendition of Confucianism reveals its rigorous internal consistency. Rather than a disorganized collection of random rituals and unjustified imperatives, Confucianism can reconcile moral sentimentalism, deontology, and utilitarianism into a behavioral scientific theory of ethics that all humanity can connect with.
