Q0286
“Human nature is bad; whatever is good about it is the product…” — Xunzi (Xunzi, Human Nature Is Bad)
Verified English quotation. Primary source: Xunzi, Human Nature Is Bad. Theme: human nature.
English
Human nature is bad; whatever is good about it is the product of deliberate activity (wei).
Source and attribution
The archive attributes this English wording to Xunzi, Human Nature Is Bad and files it under Confucianism. That locator distinguishes the passage from loose internet attributions: readers can return to the named work or section to check translation, surrounding argument, and edition-specific wording.
About Xunzi
Xunzi (Xun Kuang, c. 310–c.
How to read this passage
Across 4 recurring voices here (notably Aristotle and Blaise Pascal), human nature is framed through Peripatetic School and Christian Existential Precursor. Some passages define human nature; others warn how it fails; still others relocate it inside habit, community, or language. This passage enters that discussion through human nature, education, beauty.
Concepts in this quote
- Human Nature
- Human Nature appears in this archive as a live philosophical concern—not a slogan. These verified English passages show how thinkers treat human nature as a problem of judgment, practice, or explanation.
- Education
- Education appears in this archive as a live philosophical concern—not a slogan. These verified English passages show how thinkers treat education as a problem of judgment, practice, or explanation.
- Beauty
- Beauty raises questions about judgment, form, pleasure, and whether aesthetic value is subjective or shares standards.
How to cite this quotation
APA: Xunzi. (n.d.). Human nature is bad; whatever is good about it is the product of deliberate activity (wei). In Philosophy Blind Box. https://www.philosophydef.com/quotes/q0286
MLA: Xunzi. “Human nature is bad; whatever is good about….” Philosophy Blind Box, https://www.philosophydef.com/quotes/q0286.
Chicago: Xunzi. “Human nature is bad; whatever is good about….” Philosophy Blind Box. Accessed 2026. https://www.philosophydef.com/quotes/q0286.
Frequently asked questions
What is the source of the quotation “Human nature is bad; whatever is good about…”?
The passage is attributed to Xunzi, Xunzi, Human Nature Is Bad. The archive attributes this English wording to Xunzi, Human Nature Is Bad and files it under Confucianism. That locator distinguishes the passage from loose internet attributions: readers can return to the named work or section to check translation, surrounding argument, and edition-specific wording.
What does Xunzi mean by human nature?
Across 4 recurring voices here (notably Aristotle and Blaise Pascal), human nature is framed through Peripatetic School and Christian Existential Precursor. Some passages define human nature; others warn how it fails; still others relocate it inside habit, community, or language. This passage enters that discussion through human nature, education, beauty.