Education

This Is The Way: Chinese Philosophy Podcast

by Richard Kim and Justin Tiwald

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Latest episodes

Episode 39: Mohist Consequentialism

October 9, 2026 · 1 hr 3 min

The ancient Mohists are often said to be the world's first consequentialists -- the first on record to propose that we should consistently live by an ethical standard that asks us to bring about as much good as possible for the world. In…
Episode 38: Xunzi on Human Nature and Human Artifice

September 11, 2026 · 1 hr 1 min

Xunzi is famous for the claim that “human nature is bad.” But what does he mean by this, and if goodness does not come naturally to us, where does it come from? In this episode, we discuss Xunzi’s distinction between nature (xing 性) and…
Episode 37: Confucius as Ritual Prodigy

August 5, 2026 · 1 hr 42 min

In this episode, we are joined by Mark Csikszentmihalyi, Professor of East Asian Languages and Cultures and Eliaser Chair of International Studies at the University of California, Berkeley, and a leading scholar of early Chinese thought…
Episode 36: Zhuangzi's happy fish debate

July 7, 2026 · 1 hr 13 min

In this episode, we take up one of the most puzzling and fascinating passages in the Zhuangzi: the “Happy Fish” debate between Zhuangzi and Huizi. Can Zhuangzi really know that the fish are happy if he is not a fish? Along the way, we…
Episode 35: Confucius on Moral Examples

June 15, 2026 · 1 hr 5 min

Confucian philosophers often suggest that having good and bad examples plays a critical role in moral education and motivation. How do good examples figure into our ethical education, and how do bad examples help us discover vices or…

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Episode 34: Deference and Autonomy in Confucian Ethics

May 19, 2026 · 1 hr 19 min

Many of us value autonomy in decision-making: we want to make our own choices and think for ourselves. But we also know that in many areas of life, it is well advised to have greater faith in people who know more than we do, in experts…
Episode 33: Carrots, Sticks, and Rituals

April 14, 2026 · 1 hr 35 min

What's the best way to fight corruption: harsh laws and fear of punishment or rituals and moral transformation? In this episode we discuss a deep disagreement that takes its inspiration from the political philosophies of the Confucian…
Episode 32: Music Has in It neither Grief nor Joy

March 13, 2026 · 1 hr 10 min

When you hear sad music and feel some sadness in response, is that because the music has successfully carried the sadness of the musician to you as the listener? Or is it better to say that the sadness is in you, released by the music but…
Episode 31: The Great Music Debate -- Mohists vs. Classical Confucians

February 8, 2026 · 1 hr 13 min

Is music an extravagance in a world of scarcity or a necessary expression of our humanity? We explore Mozi’s consequentialist condemnation of elaborate musical performances and Xunzi’s argument that music, proper guided, plays a critical…
Episode 30: Confucianism and Reverential Reading

January 18, 2026 · 1 hr 26 min

In this episode, we explore Zhu Xi’s striking account of how to read philosophical and other important texts with what he calls “reverential attention.” Blending close reading with reflections on learning, character, and distraction in…
Episode 29: Shen Dao on Law

December 25, 2025 · 1 hr 35 min

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…
Episode 28: Mencius Against Mohist Impartialism

November 27, 2025 · 1 hr 26 min

In this episode, we continue our exploration of Mohist impartial caring (jian'ai 兼愛) by examining two of Mencius’s most influential objections: (1) the “Without a Father” Argument (Mencius 3B9) and (2) the “Two Roots” Argument (Mencius…

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About the show

This Is The Way is a podcast on Chinese philosophy, exploring philosophical themes by reflecting on significant Chinese texts and through interviews with scholars of Chinese thought. We aim to offer discussions that are informative and accessible to a broad audience.Please email us at: ChinesePhilosophyPodcast@gmail.com and follow us on X @ChinesePhilPod