The Confucian Ren and care debate: reassessment, development, and future directions

Abstract

It has been three decades since comparative philosophers began to associate the Confucian concept of ren 仁 with contemporary Western care ethics. It would be useful to revisit the issue and to reassess related debates. In this essay, I first contextualize this discourse by tracing the emergence of care as a philosophical concept in the West and explicate the Confucian concept of ren in terms of care as it is formulated in classic texts. Then I respond to challenges, including opposing views from influential care ethicists Nel Noddings and Virginia Held. I also discuss some promising studies to further this discourse.