Episode 29: Shen Dao on Law
About this episode
This episode explores the arguments of Shen Dao on the importance of law over personal discretion in governance.
Early in Chinese history, a number of political thinkers developed sophisticated arguments for relying on consistent application of laws rather than the personal discretion of political authorities to govern the state. In this episode, we explore the arguments of one of the early pioneers of this way of thinking, Shen Dao 慎到 (c. 350-275 BCE). We are joined by a leading expert on Shen Dao and Chinese Legalism, Eirik Lang Harris. Want to skip to the episode's primary philosophical i...
More episodes of This Is The Way: Chinese Philosophy Podcast
- Episode 33: Carrots, Sticks, and Rituals
- Episode 32: Music Has in It neither Grief nor Joy
- Episode 31: The Great Music Debate -- Mohists vs. Classical Confucians
- Episode 30: Confucianism and Reverential Reading
- Episode 28: Mencius Against Mohist Impartialism
- Episode 27: Mohism—Two Arguments for Impartial Caring
Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the This Is The Way: Chinese Philosophy Podcast podcast page.