Philosophy for
the Ancient Chinese as demonstrated by Confucius is the way that man can enable
himself as “man”. This is seen in the
way he specifies the solution to the philosophical problem. This specified solution for disunity and
disharmony is the achievement of social harmony that can only be done in the
individual becoming a noble man or a “chun
tzu”.
Before we
proceed into proving the premise, let us first clarify what is the meaning of
Philosophy being the way in which “man can enable himself as man”. This means that in deep reflection about
one’s life, he can unlock and utilize his potential. In the Confucian sense, he can realize his
inherent goodness in this deep reflection about his life. He can unlock his potential to become
good. He can “enable” himself to be “himself”
because he goes back to his basic characteristic, which is goodness. He can
“enable” himself because the actions that his realizations require him to do
are doable. It is not far from what he
can do as a human being, to the point that it becomes a habitual action. This is what is meant by Philosophy enabling
man as man.
This notion is
observable in the concept of the “chun
tzu” as the way to achieve social harmony, which can be seen in the
dealings of the “chun tzu” outside of
his self, which is his family and his state.
This is depicted in the notions of the family as the basic social unit,
the state as big family, the regulation of virtue instead of force, and the “chun tzu” as Philosopher-King. The “chun
tzu” enables himself as himself in these dealings in the principle of habit.
The principle of
habit is observed in the dealings with the family in terms of the
responsibilities that a noble man does willfully inside his home. In the constant repetition of the chores he
is assigned at home, and in the constant repetition of the gestures he does to
pay respects to his parents, he can strengthen the values within him and
nurture the goodness that is inherent in him.
He enables himself in the sense
that his realizations of the importance of paying respect to one’s parents and
doing one’s chores at home becomes a natural thing for him to do. He enables himself in this natural doing by
willfully repeating these chores and gestures in his household. The doable things of repeating one’s duty at
home with one’s family is what enables one to be himself, for these things
enables him to do it with his own abilities and capacities with
willingness.
The principle of
habit is observed in the dealings of with the State in terms of the
responsibilities that a noble man does willfully outside his home. This is observed in the notions of the
regulation of virtue instead of force, the state as big family, and the “chun-tzu” as Philosopher-King. Fung
Yu-Lan, in his book A Short History of
Chinese Philosophy, states that “According to Confucianism, the daily task
of dealing with social affairs in human relations is not something alien to the
sage. Carrying on this task is the very
essence of the development of the perfection of his personality.” 1
The explanation
given by Yu-Lan says that the principle of habit is observed in the natural way
that the noble man promotes virtue in the community with his simple actions of
setting a good example to the people of the state. He does goodness for it is not commanded of
him. He does goodness and promotes
virtue because it is his nature. It is
his habit. It simply comes to him in
whatever he does. And this does not require him to take a governmental
position. The mere repetition of this
promotion of virtue in the noble man’s life in the state as a citizen is part
of the strengthening of the virtues he nurtured inside his home.
The example of
the noble man can motivate the people, even their leaders, to emulate the
virtues he had shown for he had made these virtues attainable and possible
through his actions. Since the
reference point, the “chun tzu”, is human, people can relate quickly thus
making them follow him. It makes the
people cultivate the goodness within them, which in turn make them fulfill
their responsibilities to their respective families and to their state. The noble man enables himself in the sense
that all that he needed to do in promoting virtue is his natural actions. He enables himself in just doing the good
things that he does without any restriction given by selfish desires or
ulterior motive.
Philosophy for
the Ancient Chinese, as depicted by Confucius, is to enable man as man. This is observed in the way he specifies the
solution to the philosophical problem which is the attainment of social harmony
that can be done in the individual becoming a “chun tzu”. The “chun tzu” is enabled by his reflective
thinking of his life in the principle of habit that he develops in his constant
dealings with the responsibility he has with his family and with his
state. In always repeating the good attitudes towards
his family and to his state, these attitudes became his second nature. It became so natural that a conscious guide
is not needed anymore. It became so natural that even though he did
what he desired, it is not far from the objective of goodness, for it became
one with his being. It is in this effortless action that the
development of the “chun tzu” reaches its last stage.
To enable man as
man makes it possible to achieve social harmony for it promotes his nature of
being good in the virtues he practiced at home, which he extends to the state
by his responsible actions. By promoting to man the changes that he can
do, and the changes that his capabilities can accomplish, he can have that
confidence that he can be a good family man or a citizen. In knowing that he can do these changes makes
him assured that he can get to relish and see the effects of his good examples
to others, which in turn becomes reciprocated by them. It is in this sense that social harmony is attained.
It can be seen that the notion pointed out in
the concept of Philosophy as a way to enable man as man still goes back to the
idea that it is in the individual, it is in the “man”, which can make possible
the attainment of social harmony thus resolving the philosophical problem of
disunity and disharmony.
Being a student
in Chinese Philosophy, it is undeniable that reflective thinking is a burden,
especially when it is somewhat mandated in the readings that are given. It is tiring to go over a text in the
Analects. It is tiring to post a blog
and write those weekly synthesis papers.
It is tiring to reflect all of these in relation to the life of being a
student, and yet it is still done every day.
Blogs are still posted and papers
are still passed. Eventually, it became
a habit. Suddenly, new insights in
interpretations seem to spring forth at an instant. Relating things became less arduous day by
day, and reflections became a spontaneous thing, wherever a student goes. A
systematic way of going over texts has been developed. It is
in all of these realizations that simple responsibilities in school, such as
the writing of papers and posting of blogs can make a Chinese Philosophy
student enable himself to be a Chinese Philosophy student. It enables him to be such a student for it
makes him realize that he can do reflective thinking in his life in his daily
blogs. It enables him to become such student for it
makes him develop the characteristics of a noble man in the simple gestures of
accepting his mistakes in his papers, and in his constant learning of how to
think systematically and reflectively in trying to get a good score in the
weekly synthesis papers. It enables him to be such student for it
makes him see that developing a discipline in going over texts or learning from
these texts can be achieved with the capabilities that he has. He does not need to become what he is
not. He does not need to mimic experts in looking
at things. He does not need to sound
like an “expert”. He enables himself in these papers and in
these blogs for it makes him to sound like “himself”. He enables himself for he puts his mind, his
thinking, his own fresh ideas, to these writings that he makes in the course of
the subject. He enables himself, for he makes a Philosopher out of his own
abilities and in his own character. It is in the improvement of what he already
has that such student enables himself. The weekly papers make a Chinese Philosophy
student see that indeed, he can philosophize.
It may take a long time to fully philosophize, but the point is that
little by little, a student can get the hang of it. It can make them realize that philosophizing
is not something impossible to do. The
daily blogs can make a Chinese Philosophy student realize that reflective
thinking is something that is continuously practiced, not only in academic
activities, but also in one’s life.
This realization
must be put into mind into every Philosophy student as he undergoes the arduous
training in writing papers and systematic thinking in every Philosophy subject
that he has. The papers that are
required by each professor are not made to make a student’s life miserable. It is made to unleash their thinking capacity
that is inherent in their system. Philosophy
is not simply a subject involving critical thinking and tons of reading. It is also a subject in which a Philosophy
student can realize his skills.
This realization
can also be applied in the life of the student outside the four walls of the
classroom. His enabling of himself goes
even to his own life with his family and friends. He
enables himself in the sense that he continuously and willfully does his
responsibilities at home like washing the dishes or fixing his bed. He
enables himself in the sense that he does not think of any ill-will to his
friends, and still continues to be with them through thick and thin. He enables himself in the sense that all of
these actions are naturally done, not forced by anything. It is not forced by any superior being or
law, but it is naturally and willfully done by the individual himself. It can
be described in the phrase that what he does “comes naturally”. He
enables “himself”, for he utilizes his own capabilities. He “enables” himself for it is his “self” who
willfully and naturally actuates all that he had learned. What is abundant inside comes out in the open
when realities necessitate. But if one has not have something to shine through
in practice, he actually locks up his inner capacity to shine, for example, as
a student or as an individual.
Source:
1.
Fung Yu-Lan, “The Spirit of
Chinese Philosophy”, (New York: The Free Press, 1948), In A Short History of Chinese Philosophy, 9.
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