Philosophy as
demonstrated in Ancient Chinese Philosophy by Confucius, is a basis for
action. This is seen in the way he characterizes the
ideal human being. The individual is said to be the assumed solution
to the philosophical problem. The
assumed solution is that in order to solve the problem of disorder and
disunity, the individual must realize therein lies in him the manifestation of
the solution. Since the problems are
man-made, the only one that can solve these problems are man himself. It is in this sense that Confucius gives the
characteristics of the ideal human being.
The ideal human
being possesses notable characteristics, such as filial piety,
conscientiousness, brotherly respect, propriety, goodness, righteousness, and
wisdom. It demonstrates Philosophy as a basis for
action in the principle of reference, which is depicted by reflective thinking
and “oughtness”.
The characteristics
of the ideal human being depict a common trait of reflective thinking on the
part of the individual. For him to
assume goodness, he must think deeply of his actions if it is inclined to this
so-called goodness. This principle is
the same for filial piety, brotherly respect, and all the other characteristics
of the ideal human being. In this sense the deep thinking becomes the
basis before one does his actions. He
makes this deep thinking about himself, about what he had done so far, as a
reference point for his actions. This is
in this sense that Philosophy is the basis for action. It makes one think first before acting. This deep thinking about their life makes
them do what is needed to be done. The
principle of reference is depicted in returning to what one has deeply thought
about before he does his actions.
Another common
thing between these characteristics is the notion of “oughtness”. It can be observed that all of these values
are done by the individual because it is what is “proper” and “moral”. Being
obedient sons or daughters for example, are done because it is the moral thing
to do. Having awareness of one’s actions
must be done for it is the moral thing to do.
Fung Yu-Lan, in his book A Short History of Chinese Philosophy,
explains this notion. He states, “Everyone
in society has certain things which he ought to do, and which must be done for
their own sake, because they are the morally things to do. If, however, he does them only because of
other non-moral consideration, then even though he does what he ought to do,
his action is no longer a righteous one.”
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The explanation
of Yu-Lan says that all of the characteristics point to the common objective of
“oughtness”. This “oughtness” however, must not be done for
selfish gain for it would invalidate the act even if it is the right thing to
do. This is because it defeats the
purpose of its morality in the mere thought of selfish gain itself. This idea is observed in all the
characteristics both in the social and personal aspects of it. The very notion of harmony and unity to be
established in these characteristics justifies the thought of “oughtness”. It
can be observed that the idea of being a basis to one’s action is still seen in
the very use of the concept of “oughtness” itself. What made “oughtness” philosophical is that
it still involves deep reflection about one’s life, for in doing what is moral
one must first think deeply about if it is not inclined to non-moral
considerations, to insure the objective of one’s action. The
principle of reference is observed in the notion of “oughtness” in validating
one’s action in terms of morality.
Philosophy for
the Ancient Chinese, as demonstrated by Confucius is a basis for action. This is seen in the way he characterizes the
ideal human being. The characteristics
of filial piety, conscientiousness, brotherly respect, propriety, goodness,
righteousness, and wisdom all justify the notion of Philosophy as a basis for
action in the principle of reference.
This is observed in the common ideas of reflective thinking and
“oughtness” that can be seen from the characteristics of the ideal human
being. In thinking deeply, one returns to what he had
thought in relation to all that happened in his life. In
“oughtness”, one validates his actions by returning to the thought of
morality. These two show the
characteristics of being a basis for action, which is the characteristic of being
a foundation. A basis is a foundation,
in this case a foundation for action.
Deep thinking and evaluation were used as foundations for action. Which
is why it depicts the principle of reference, for it is in this that one always
refers to before one does an action. What
makes it philosophical is that it never ceased to involve the deep thinking of
one’s life.
All of these
still point back to the main thought that it is only in the individual that the
problems of disunity and disharmony can be solved. This is shown in the notion of the “ideal
human being”. It still puts in the hands
of the “human”, in the hands man himself, the resolution to the philosophical
problem of the lack of harmony and unity in the world, in one’s community, and
it one’s self. Since man is the assumed solution, it is only
natural that there would be a basis that would promote man. For the assumed solution to be doable, a
basis of the same concept is only necessary to make the solution doable as
well. This is the implication of the
characteristics of the ideal human being.
Confucius depicts Philosophy as a
basis for action in the characteristics of the ideal human being, for it is
used as the foundation for proper conduct.
It is in this that one can understand proper conduct. By understanding proper conduct one can be
able to make the next step in resolving the philosophical problem of disunity
and harmony. By understanding proper conduct
one can eventually be able to practice it.
In the present
time, the society gives many “ideals”, which they wish to be seen in the
prominent figures of the State, such as government officials and even
celebrities. In a school setting, this
thinking is undeniable, for the concept of an “ideal student” still lingers in
the minds of professors and students alike.
Good in both co-curricular and academics and has good social skills, the
list goes on for this “ideal student”. This
conception is never prized by the majority in a school setting, especially when
one is in tertiary education. To the majority, ideals restrict fun and the
possibility of having a “happy college life”.
Responsible actions seemed to
kill the excitement of rebellion and the taste of having grown-up and being away
from one’s parents. Responsibility was
never a major trend for the majority, for it never provided the immediate bliss
given by cutting classes. It never
provided the freedom that each youth wanted to grasp since their high school
days. It is observable that all these
negative notions about the “ideal student” are rooted from not understanding
the essence of this concept. Ideals are
made for a reason. This reason revolves
around the correction of some improper actions that are said to bring damage to
the school community or even to one’s self.
The concept of
the “ideal student” is always bent in some way or another. This tendency is not uncommon even in a
student of Philosophy. The notion of
having good grades is bent in abusing the sense of “at least one did his best”
in relation to receiving a failing grade. The notion of being always present in class is
bent in the sense of dependency on one’s classmate. This is because the understanding of the
ideals imposed by one’s professors is not done, which in turn makes one’s
student life miserable and full of depression.
The ideals given by professors
are for a reason. These ideals are made
to make students refine their skills in writing and leading them into the right
way of thinking things. These ideals are
made to make students make learning as their habit. All
those high expectations that each Philosophy professor sets for his students
are for the students’ own good. It is
for their benefit. These ideals are to
make students be molded as philosophers. This is the understanding that every
Philosophy student must keep in mind as they go on in the course of Philosophy.
Instead of
giving up in interpreting and finding out what Confucius means by his
aphorisms, a Chinese Philosophy student must take this mental challenge as
something that can tame their lazy nature in studying and can teach them the
proper attitude in approaching Philosophy, in this case, Chinese
Philosophy. The ideals given by the characteristics of an
ideal human being must be taken not only as a lesson or something to write about
in a synthesis paper, but also as something that could correct one’s attitude
in the present time. It must be taken by one as a basis to correct one’s
bad attitudes. In the simple ways of giving effort in reaching
the high expectations of one’s professor is enough to show that one had
understood the purpose of such “ideal”. With this simple act, a student can learn
humility. He can learn how to get rid
of his stubborn nature. He learns how to let go of prejudices in
particular ideas or topics. It can be
observed from this realization that by understanding what the ideals are meant
for, one can learn what is proper. One can learn proper conduct.
In appreciating the ideals given by one’s
professor, a Chinese Philosophy student can do more than just thinking and
reasoning out. A mere Chinese Philosophy student can be able
to practice values and give importance to these values. It can make him go out of his comfort
zones. It can make him go out of the
attitude of armchair thinking. It can
make him go beyond the academic setting of a university. It can make him more of a noble man rather
than just be a man pretending to be noble.
In the simple compliance of the
student to his professor’s instruction concerning a project or a term paper is enough
to make such student put all the lessons in Chinese Philosophy about propriety
and the like to practice.
The point is
that it is in the recognition of ideals and these expectations that can make
one realize the importance of values to be incorporated in one’s life. These
values can make students like us, no matter what course one is taking up, to be
better persons. It can make us be better citizens and leaders
for the future. In appreciating “ideal” behaviors in school
one can make this possible, with every simple effort he puts in his daily
school life, either by polite words to his classmates or respect to his
professors. It can give youths like us the needed
direction that can aid our young minds in helping the adults to resolve the problem
of disunity and harmony that is still present today. The
youth must not make their age an excuse to run from the responsibility of
resolving the philosophical problem.
Rather, they must treat this age as an advantage to contribute a great
deal to the resolution in the problem of disunity and disharmony.
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