These fragments outline a rudimentary theory of political order modeled on the natural world that recognizes the role of human self-interest in maintaining stable rule. Casting the natural world as an independent, amoral system, Shen Dao situates the source of moral judgment firmly within the human sphere.

Eirik Lang Harris is assistant professor of philosophy in the Department of Public Policy at the City University of Hong Kong, where he is also a member of the Center for East Asian and Comparative Philosophy. His research focuses on early Chinese political and moral philosophy, with an emphasis on its potential contributions to contemporary political philosophy and ethics.

Michael Puett, coauthor of The Path: What Chinese Philosophers Can Teach Us About the Good Life:
Harris provides an excellent translation and study of the Shenzi Fragments and does a beautiful job of demonstrating the significance of the fragments for our understanding of early Chinese political philosophy. This work will play a crucial role in bringing scholarly attention back to these important yet often neglected materials.

Bryan Van Norden, author of Introduction to Classical Chinese Philosophy:
Harris's new translation and commentary on the surviving fragments of Shen Dao's writings is a significant contribution to Sinology. He skillfully explains Shen Dao's political philosophy in terms that are readily comprehensible to contemporary thinkers. This is an excellent overview of ancient Chinese philosophy for both specialists and nonspecialists.

Al Martinich, Roy Allison Vaughan Centennial Professor in Philosophy, University of Texas at Austin:
With imagination and philosophical acumen, Eirik Lang Harris has shown Shen Dao to be an ancient political philosopher worth contending with. He shows Shen Dao to have a balanced and realistic philosophy, occupying a position between Confucianism and Mohism. His translation, accompanied by the Chinese text, will serve philosophers for decades to come.