Xunzi, Anthropocentrism, and Environmental Ethics

This paper offers a novel interpretation of the classical Confucian philosopher Xunzi's environmental ethics, arguing for a comprehensive anthropocentric reading that nevertheless recognizes ecological awareness as a necessary condition for human flourishing. It begins by clarifying the concept of anthropocentrism and situating Xunzi's thought within recent interpretations of Confucian environmental ethics. It then examines Xunzi's conception of morality and his account of the relationship between Heaven and the Way, both of which support an anthropocentric framework. Finally, this paper explores two dimensions of Xunzi's thought especially relevant to environmental ethics: the virtue of “understanding Heaven” ( zhi tian 知天), which requires sensitivity to natural regularities, and the role of ritual ( li 禮) as a means of moderating human interaction with nature and cultivating morality. The resulting framework remains faithful to the Xunzi while providing valuable resources for contemporary environmental ethics.