Gaozi

This ancient Chinese philosopher, who is thought to have lived from c. 420 - c. 350 B.C.E., is known only from a few passages in the writings of Mencius. His views are deeply un-Confucian, and no wonder Mencius disliked him. His main idea seems to be that human beings are born with a morally neutral nature.

Below is a digest of the six passages in which Gaozi was mentioned.

• Book IIa: 2: "What is not attained in words is not to be sought for in the mind."
• Book VIa: 1: Human nature is like the willow.
• Book VIa: 2: Human nature is indifferent to good and evil.
• Book VIa: 3: "Life is what we call nature."
• Book VIa: 4: "To enjoy food and delight in sex is nature."
• Book VIa: 6: Human nature is neither good nor bad."