Rule of Algorithm in Lv Shi Chun Qiu: Lessons To Learn
Authors: Zhu Wen Yi 
Published: March 2022

For author(s) of Lv/Lü`s Spring and Autumn (Lv/LüShi ChunQiu, Lv/Lü`s Spring and Autumn, or The Spring and Autumn [Annals] of Mr. Lü), the world works on fixed, mechanical laws, and moral laws has no real existence or certain power. Human beings thus exist for existence`s own sake, and should not let moral considerations hinder the consolidation of their existence. As passive existence of hermits could not be adequately consolidated, and men`s natural freedom of will is not safe from manipulation and deprivation by others, with knowledge of laws regarding human behaviour, effective consolidation of one`s existence calls for both un-distracted will without moral regard, and knowledge of laws ruling the world. In a world of established kingdoms warring each other, such will and knowledge further calls political power, or man and material power, to actually consolidate the existence of a human being, so such human being must be a king. Though even an all-knowing king would not be able to command everyone and everything he owns, solely with own mental and physical abilities, consolidation of his existence is still possible according to Lv Buwei (Lü Buwei, Lü Pu-wei), as the world will produce as a rule “noble” persons, who has knowledge of the world`s laws, but still could be reliably employed by kings by correct methods with their mysterious, almost mechanical loyalist tendency, in order to use all other subjects and natural resources in the domain. Actually, what Lv/Lü Buwei proposes is actually constructing a automatic machine, with the “noble” ministers acting as computers of artificial intelligence, and commoners as powerplant or working bits, to realize an algorithm formulated according to laws of the world, for consolidation of the king`s existence. With such machine, the king would be able to exist Singularly, in all possible security and happiness, without any own effort, nor reliance or fear of any other person. As all other biological human beings that used to be persons in ethical sense, has been subdued, and reduced to a new status as parts of the automatic machine, thus are no longer persons with comparable ethical standing to the king, and can as a result, no longer challenge or argue on the king`s eligibility of Singular, consolidated existence. If, extrapolating with Lv/Lü Buwei`s logic, this machine could one day no longer use biological human as parts, without compromising robustness, then it could be in order to destroy all such humans other than the king, as even complete subdual could not eliminate the natural tendency for consolidation of own existence in them. Such a plan, cruel as it can be in the eyes of spectators, could very possibly be not only approved by the king, but also his subjects, who has for many generations willing, and even eager, to sacrifice themselves and others for the king`s need of lavishness, and thus appear “justified”. Furthermore, though the rule of algorithm is never fully deployed in Lv/Lü Buwei`s time, it is not impossibly for it to revive and take hold in future, among warring capitalist “national states”, aided by technologies of another time.