Confucius' Quote 'Nobles Awaken to Righteousness' Reveals 2,500-Year-Old Brain Science Behind ESG Investing & Ethical AI Algorithms
君子喻于义，小人喻于利。——孔子(jūn zǐ yù yú yì, xiǎo rén yù yú lì — Kǒngzǐ) Translation: “Nobles awaken to righteousness; plebeians awaken to profit.” Explanation: Confucius’ maxim “君子喻于义(jūn zǐ yù yú yì), 小人喻于利(xiǎo rén yù yú lì)” (Nobles awaken to righteousness; plebeians awaken to profit) establishes humanity’s earliest cognitive hierarchy theory of ethics. The character 喻(yù)—combining 口(kǒu, speech) and 俞(yú, digest)—metaphorizes moral internalization as a process of verbal instruction transformed into visceral conviction. This framework shaped the 士大夫(shì dà fū) (scholar-official) class’s governance philosophy, where policy decisions prioritized collective 义(yì) (justice) over individual gain. Historical applications abound. Edo-period Japan’s 企業士(kigyōshi) (samurai-merchants) blended Confucian 义(yì) with commerce, refusing profitable opium trade on ethical grounds. Modern parallels emerge in ESG investing’s tripartite framework—environmental 义(yì) superseding...
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