In this class, we’re going to be thinking about ritual and cultivation. First, we’ll dive into Xunzi’s text with some questions.
Questions:
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What passages in the text particularly took your attention (e.g. because they interested you, because you disagreed with them, because they puzzled you)?
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What do you think Xunzi means by “ritual”? Give some examples.
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Xunzi says: “If their lives are without ritual, then people cannot survive.” What does he mean, and is this true?
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What is Xunzi’s example about the lame turtle and the six horses saying?
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What is the connection between ritual and education for Xunzi?
We’ll share in the main group.
The Secular as Sacred
If we have time, we’ll look at Herbert Fingarette’s Confucius: The Secular as Sacred. This gives a powerful and concise philosophical account of why ritual is important.
Ritual maps
Sketch a map of the rituals you use in your own lives. You have 10 minutes.
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Identify and document rituals from your own lives (morning routines, greeting customs, digital etiquette)
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Analyze which aspects of these rituals might cultivate virtues like respect, discipline, or mindfulness
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Create a visual map showing how daily rituals shape character traits (you can do this any way you like)
Share your maps!
Ritual Design
Now, finally, I’m going to put you in groups, and ask you to design a new ritual for Parami that might help us all develop virtue. This can be online or offline. Think about:
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the precise virtues you want to develop
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what the ritual will be
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the practicalities of how the ritual will take place
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how this ritual can develop or support this specific (or these specific) virtues.
Homework
We’ve talked about virtue ethics, about utilitarianism, and about deontology. For your homework, we’re moving on to talk about another tradition of thinking about ethics: the ethics of care. I’ll share the reading on Canvas.