Philosophy

Philosophy Study Guide

©2018 of 126 dominate effect on Chinese culture for centuries to come. Confucius was a Chinese philosopher and was esteemed as the Greatest Master, and his teachings were aimed at bringing harmony to society through an emphasis on virtue. Confucius’s ideas were a direct response to the social conditions of his time, a period dominated by political confusion that would eventually lead to the period of the warring states. He was convinced that the only path out of this violent and chaotic state was by establishing a social order based on commitment to humanity or benevolence, the conscientious practice of social customs and the widespread adherence to moral principles. As a teacher, Confucius tried to effect political harmony by cultivating moral harmony within each individual. Philosophically, Confucius can be characterized as ethical humanism. Ethical humanism is an ethical perspective based not on religion but on the belief that human intelligence is capable or promoting human welfare and dignity in a way that conforms to our essential human nature. To fully realize our enlightened human nature, we must develop virtue, or ren, which is a human principle rooted in empathy and feeling for others. The Chinese character for ren is composed of “two” and “man” symbolizing the close relationship between men. Virtue should be our ultimate guiding principle. Confucius believed that this pure and all-encompassing virtues the key to inner peace, harmonious relationships, and enlightened social orders. The heart of this virtue is reciprocity, the principle that we should treat others the same way we wish to be treated. Becoming virtuous requires self-restraint and a commitment to living our lives according to zhong-yong, the Golden Mean, which is a state of harmony achieved through the practice of virtue. This has been translated as moderation, normality, and universal moral law. The literal meaning is centrality and universality which are generally equated with equilibrium and harmony. The Golden Mean concept is explored in The Doctrine of the Mean, a text some believe was written by Confucius’s grandson which discusses the practice of virtue as a total commitment to a life of benevolent generosity, equilibrium, and harmony, and conscientious self- restraint in all dimensions of ourselves. Confucius also believed that achieving our full humanity entails following li, the rules of propriety or moral customs of one’s society that provide specific guidance. Li includes all of the rites, customs, moral precepts, conventions, etiquette, and good manners of society and by mastering and practicing li, all human relationships are enhanced in a benevolent way, a state which ultimately results in a harmonious society based on good an orderly government. Confucius believed that an ideal state could only be achieved by a commitment to the principles by virtue, both by the leaders and the citizens, achieving our full humanity entails following the rules of propriety. 10.3 Plato: Society Should be Based on Function and Harmony The first comprehensive social theory based on the concept of justice was developed by Plato which was articulated in his work The Republic . In this writing, Plato concluded that an ideal society must be a type of intellectual aristocracy, a political form in which society is governed by a limited number of individuals who are considered to be uniquely qualified because of their intellectual abilities. For Plato, he believed that society should be ruled by the wisest and most enlightened of people: the philosopher-kings. These would be people who had dedicated themselves to achieving authentic wisdom through enlightened education and hard work. Plato did not believe that all people are created with equal abilities; rather, he believed that each person has unique strengths and talents that must be used in an appropriate way. He believed that people fell into one of the following categories: Achieve Page 108