Doing What You Really Want : An Introduction to the Philosophy of Mengzi

For more than two thousand years, the writings of the Confucian philosopher Mengzi have been a source of guidance and inspiration for those set on doing something to improve the state of the world. In Doing What You Really Want, Franklin Perkins presents a coherent, systematic, and accessible explanation of Mengzi's philosophy. He covers everything from the place of human beings in nature, to human psychology and philosophy of emotions, to the various ways in which we can deliberately change and cultivate ourselves.

Mengzi was concerned not just with theory but also effective action. Perkins thus includes a collection of practical advice and a Confucian analysis of politics oriented toward how individuals can make a difference in the world. These topics are integrated around Mengzi's philosophy as a way of life dedicated to changing the world, providing an alternative approach for understanding the contemporary relevance of Confucianism. Mengzi offers theoretical and practical resources valuable for anyone concerned with integrating efforts to improve the world with personal fulfillment and a sense of belonging.

Rather than giving an overview, this is a focused work of philosophy that delves deeply into the most relevant themes of Mengzi's thought. The core philosophical system is drawn from Mengzi, but the book regularly incorporates other Confucian materials, making this volume a useful introduction to Confucian thought.

Franklin Perkins is Professor of Philosophy at the University of Hawai'i at Manoa and editor of the journal Philosophy East and West. He is the author of Heaven and Earth are not Humane: The Problem of Evil in Classical Chinese Philosophy (2014), Leibniz: A Guide for the Perplexed (2007), and Leibniz and China: A Commerce of Light (2004), and was co-editor of Chinese Metaphysics and Its Problems (2015). His books have been translated into Portuguese, Chinese, and Japanese. Perkins has spent more than eight years teaching and conducting research in Asia, and has previously been a professor at Nanyang Technological University and DePaul University, where he was also the director of Chinese Studies program.