At 2:00 p.m. on May 15, 2026, the 396th session of the “Lundao Distinguished Scholars Forum” of the School of Public Administration was successfully held in Conference Room 634A of Xingmin Building. The lecture featured Professor Tom Stoneham from the Department of Philosophy at the University of York as the keynote speaker, who delivered a lecture entitled “A Critique of Moral Perfectionism.” The lecture was chaired by Professor Tao Tao from the Department of Philosophy of the School of Public Administration, and faculty members and students from the School actively participated in the event.

Professor Stoneham has long specialized in early modern philosophy, metaphysics, and philosophy of mind. He is particularly renowned for his systematic reconstruction and defense of the philosophy of George Berkeley and has published numerous articles in leading international academic journals, producing substantial scholarly achievements. Professor Tao Tao briefly introduced Professor Stoneham’s research areas and academic accomplishments, expressing a warm welcome and sincere gratitude for his visit and lecture.

Beginning with a famous claim made by G. E. M. Anscombe, Professor Stoneham offered a profound reflection on the core tenets of moral perfectionism. Through analyses of a series of classic ethical dilemmas, he briefly examined the internal tension between evaluation and normativity, arguing that the existence of a better option does not necessarily negate the reasonable value of alternative choices. He then drew upon theoretical discussions within the casuistry tradition to analyze the ethical confusion and inner anxiety that moral perfectionism may generate. Finally, Professor Stoneham proposed a preliminary perspective of “moral satisficing,” maintaining that moral agents possess a degree of autonomy when faced with multiple reasonable alternatives. As long as individuals assume reflective responsibility for their own choices, they need not endure excessively harsh moral judgment even if their actions fail to achieve the optimal standard.

During the interactive discussion session, Professor Stoneham engaged faculty members and students in in-depth discussions on issues such as the morality of rescuing stray animals. The atmosphere of philosophical reflection and debate was particularly lively. In his concluding remarks, Professor Tao Tao highly praised the lecture, noting that Professor Stoneham’s presentation was both subtle in argumentation and distinctive in perspective. His critique of moral perfectionism combined historical depth with strong contemporary relevance. The lecture not only provided a new way of thinking about the boundaries of moral demands, but also offered important inspiration for reexamining moral problems in everyday life. The lecture concluded successfully with warm applause from the audience.