The “Seven Dialectical Terms” in the “Minor Choice” Chapter of the Mozi

Abstract

<p>This article presents a novel interpretation of the “seven dialectical terms” in the “Minor Choice” 小取 chapter of the Mozi 墨子, namely “some” (huo 或), “supposing” (jia 假 ), “model” (xiao 效 ), “analogy” (pi 譬), “parallel reasoning” (mou 侔), “pulling” (yuan 援), and “pushing” (tui 推). Drawing upon the studies of Henri Maspero (1883–1945) and Tang Chun-I 唐君毅 (1909–1978), the article conceives the “seven dialectical terms” as components of a unified theory of analogical arguments, rather than distinct types of reasoning. Its primary focus lies not on the various reasoning fallacies cataloged in the concluding section of “Minor Choice,” but on the prevalent analogical arguments within Mozi’s ethical and political dialogues. As logica docens, “Minor Choice” systematizes the logica utens found in the core chapters of the Mozi and employs it as a method to counter logical fallacies posed by Mohist adversaries. The article also reevaluates the concept of “parallel reasoning,” arguing that the reasoning fallacies in the final part of “Minor Choice” represent merely a specific manifestation of “parallel reasoning,” rather than comprising its entirety.<br></p>

本文對《墨子．小取》中的「辯學七事」（即或、假、效、譬、 侔、援、推）提出一個與通行觀點不同的新解釋。在馬伯樂（Henri Maspero）和唐君毅的研究基礎上，本文將「辯學七事」視為一個完整的類比推理理論的組成部分，而不是七種相互獨立的論式類型。其實例不是〈小取〉末尾列舉的各種推理謬誤，而是《墨子》倫理與政治對話中常見的類比論證。換句話說，〈小取〉作為一種自覺邏輯（ logica docens），將《墨子》核心篇章中的自發邏輯（logica utens）理論化了，並以此為方法駁斥墨家論敵的謬誤。這一解釋既可以幫助我們重新認識「侔」的含義，也能突出強調〈小取〉文本的內在邏輯和連貫性。