Abstract: How can individuals differentiate between similar yet distinct emotions, especially when they are intertwined in experience? And how can they ascertain the moral implications of their emotions, given their complexities? I explore these questions by examining Korean philosopher Seongho Yi Ik's (1681–1763) discussion of emotional ambiguity in his New Compilation of the Four-Seven Debate ( Sachil Sinpyeon 四七新編). This debate grappled with the nature and connection between the Four Beginnings (proto-moral emotions) and the Seven Emotions (everyday emotions). Seongho posits that the Beginning of Wisdom ( si-bi 是非), distinguished by its cognitive function, plays a vital role in evaluating the appropriateness of other emotions; acting as a "storehouse," it accumulates moral knowledge through a process of critically "accepting" or "rejecting" emotional episodes, thus guiding moral development. This article highlights how Seongho's emphasis on wisdom contributes to his broader project of integrating cognition into his moral psychology
Marcus Hedahl (2026) studied this question.