Some aspects of Wang’s philosophy can be understood as refining or drawing out the full implications of Lu Xiangshan’s critique of Zhu Xi.  Like Lu, Wang stressed that the Pattern is fully present in the mind of every person: “The mind is Pattern.  Is there any affair outside the mind?  Is there any Pattern outside the mind?” (Tiwald and Van Norden 2014,  264)[6]   As a result, the theoretical study of ethics is unnecessary.  All a moral agent needs to do is exercise “pure knowing.” This view may seem naive at first glance.  However, this is partially due to the different foci of Chinese and Western ethics.  Metaethics and normative ethical theory are substantial parts of Western ethics, but less central to Chinese ethics.  In addition, recent Western ethics manifests an interest in abstract ethical dilemmas that is perhaps disproportionate to the relevance of these quandaries in practice.  In contrast, the focus of much Chinese ethics, particularly Confucianism, is applied ethical cultivation.  Consequently, Lu and Wang were primarily interested in having a genuine positive effect on the ethical lives of their followers.  There is some plausibility to the claim that (even in our own complex, multicultural intellectual context) most of us know what our basic ethical obligations are.  For example, as a teacher, I have an obligation to grade assignments promptly and fairly.  As a colleague, I have an obligation to take my turn serving as chair.  As a parent, I have an obligation to make time to share my children’s interests.  Due to selfish desires, it is tempting to procrastinate in grading essays, or try to evade departmental service, or ignore the emotional needs of one’s children.  However, it is not as if it is genuinely difficult to figure out that these are our obligations.