NEW SYNTHESIS III - CONFUCIUS

Philosophy, as demonstrated by Confucius, is a way to cultivate virtue into oneself.  This is shown in the way he characterizes the ideal human being.  The philosophical problem of social disorder is said to be resolved by cultivating oneself in becoming a solution, which is to be a noble man. This cultivation is done by manner of education aligned to learning the moral principle or the Tao.  This begins in the family, then to others, and to the community.  This means that the development of virtues involves a variety of processes realized in the daily life of every individual.

The “Jen” or “benevolence” starts with “filial piety” (Hsiao) and “brotherly respect” (T’i). This implies the recognition of family as the basic unit of society where the rootedness of every individual is founded. From the smaller unit, Jen is realized in others.  Since human experiences are social experiences, being concern for others manifests a person’s conscientious stance for social harmony.  This social harmony is possible only in altruism, a value that sets aside selfish desires to pave way to the welfare of many.

The cardinal virtues (Jen or benevolence, Li or propriety, Chih or wisdom, and Yi or righteousness) summed up the essential elements of the ultimate purposes of an ideal human being, virtue, and social harmony.   It is in this sense that Confucius considers Philosophy as a way for the cultivation of virtues.

 The root of the philosophical problem is the absence of social harmony.  This problem is caused by one’s rejection of the practice of virtues.   This absence pertains to two things, namely “absence” in the sense that the individual has no clear understanding of the Way or the moral principle.  The other “absence” pertains to an individual being selfish, having no concern for others at all.  These two things are resolved by learning to philosophize and head towards the Tao.  The first notion of absence is resolved in the rectification of names and the education of the noble man.  The second notion is the cultivation of one’s moral principles through social integration.

In order to establish “social harmony”, there is a need for a person to relate and interact with others.  This does not only point into being with a group of people in a specific occasion, it also points being “out of oneself”.  In other words, it means being selfless.  Disorder happens because of one’s selfishness and concern for personal gains.  For example, doing a favor for another person for the sake of an ulterior motive, or doing good deeds to look good when one plans to run for a public office.  Instead of manifesting good values such as concern for others and benevolence, one pretends to be good in order to advance his selfish motives. It becomes a means for benefits aimed for oneself which only causes trouble or disorder.   

The role of philosophizing, therefore, is to make the individual realize specific values and cultivate them. Virtues are the ones that can guide one’s actions.  It can guide one into properly fulfilling their obligations or responsibilities in their social relationships. They guide one’s actions.  As Fung Yu-Lan stated in his book entitled The Short History of Chinese Philosophy, “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 right things to do.” ¹

From Fung’s statement, one can say that deeply reflecting upon things leads one to be concerned and be caring for the welfare of others.  Without others, one cannot fully realize virtues.  It is in this sense that in developing the virtues of a noble man, one becomes a solution to the problem of social disorder.

Doing one’s duties and responsibilities is important for an individual learning and practicing the Tao.  This is because it is the measurement of how deeper the values were cultivated inside of him, both in the mental and moral aspect of his being.  Concern for others is the next step for one to do the task of practicing the Tao.  Benevolence or human-heartedness is what gives the individual a good starting point in getting rid of his selfish pursuits and wants that can impede him from being a good citizen and a good family man.  In being benevolent, one can effectively do his duties in the society.  The individual who instilled the value of benevolence inside of him effectively does his duties because all he thinks about are the welfare of others.  When one does not think about profit in doing his responsibilities, he does not have any reservations as to what is asked of him.  In this way misunderstanding can be avoided and other conflicts.  His actions benefit others and the state.

When one does his duties in the state, he manifests his concern and love for his family and fellowmen. This is because he chose not to do something which can harm his relationships with his family and his state.  He unconditionally does his obligations to his parents, his brothers, and his community.  The greatest difficulty lies in the involvement of the individual in the state.  It is not easy to become noble by learning and practicing virtues. Every time, one encounters both strangers and friends. He also encounters both the pleasant and the unpleasant realities around him.   His attitude may vary from one person to another or from one experience of reality to another, which can provoke him to act inappropriately.  That is why in cultivating the value of benevolence, it is only foremost that one should set himself as the measure of his actions.  Confucius calls this as the “principle of the measuring square”, which is said to consist of man’s conscientiousness and altruism.  This principle involves oneself as the basis of regulating one’s own conduct.  It is in this notion that one can apply the famous Confucian quotation: “Do not do to others what you do not wish to yourself.” 

Relating the principle to the saying, it only gives the implication that the treatment of one to the other must be similar to his treatment of himself.  If one dislikes being insulted, then he should not insult other people.  Since one is part of a larger community, it is his moral obligation to respect each individual in the community.  Having compassion for others, and having concern for them is what justifies one to be “human-hearted”.  Giving the same respect which one gives to himself to other people makes his actions moral and proper.  Good begets good.  What one sows, he reaps.

As one cultivates benevolence, he also develops propriety. This implies acting according to the circumstances or the situation.  When one is concerned about the other, he makes his actions proper as a sign of respect for others.  He humbles himself when he thinks about the welfare of others.  This is observed when one keeps silent as he enters the church or when someone is studying in a study room.  The very action of tempering one’s actions is a sign of putting the other as the priority of one, which in turn manifests humility.  In this manner, he justifies his values and acts according to the moral principle. 

As one continues to cultivate and practice his learned values, he begins to develop a certain kind of wisdom.  As Fung Yu-Lan stated in his book entitled The Spirit of Chinese Philosophy, “Chih (wisdom) lies in the understanding of human-heartedness and righteousness and ritual conduct” ²

From Fung’s statement, one can say that wisdom pertains to the deeper understanding of the learning and application of virtue.  This is because if such wisdom is not realized, then no matter how much a person does similar good actions, it would not be justified as being moral.  It will be reduced to an empty, mechanical routine which does not contribute to man’s cultivation of virtue or to teaching others about virtue.  It is acting blindly.   Indeed, when one does not have any idea about what he is doing, it defeats the purpose of taking the trouble into accomplishing it.  This is because the activity fell into the same level of a chore that is done for a utilitarian end.  Such action is not moral in essence even if it is aligned with morality. The justification of one’s actions lies on one’s self-conscious understanding of its execution.  For Confucius, one must have an understanding of the concept of morality and a conscious self in order to justify one’s actions as moral. 

Philosophy, as demonstrated by Confucius, is a way to cultivate virtues into one’s self.  This is shown in the way he characterizes the ideal human being.  The problem of social disorder is said to be resolved by going back to the moral principle and fashion one’s life into it. This solution is to begin from a long process of recognizing realities, experiences within and with others, and finding wisdom in all of these.  From these, one realizes his ultimate purpose in life, that is, the cultivation of virtues to oneself in order to become a noble man.

 Confucius demonstrates Philosophy as a way of making one conscious of the things that he does in his life.  When one deeply reflects, he gets to learn and cultivate virtues.  In the process of cultivating virtues, he becomes aware of the effect of his actions and their meanings in existence.  He becomes aware of the people around him, his social relationships, and his responsibilities.  He knows where he is headed to. 

When one is indifferent about things, he does not have any clear idea as to what he is doing or why is he is doing things.  It does not contribute to one’s cultivation of virtues, and it does not bring any benefit to the society or to others.   Being indifferent is a sign of disorder.  It is simply taking learning and other opportunities to strengthen one’s virtues for granted, and making one’s actions point to a utilitarian end.  When one does not understand a particular subject for example, he simply studies the lessons given for the sake of passing and not for learning.  Moreover, he becomes lazy.  From this example, one can see that being indifferent results to a disordered life.  He does not study diligently.  He does not maintain good marks.  All of these point back to the reason that the individual does not understand the essence of his responsibility as a student.  Another way of looking at this is in terms of doing charity work because it is required by a professor or a university requirement.  Indeed, the act is in accordance with the moral principle. However, those who do not understand the purpose of the charity work will do it for the sake of grades.  But with deep reflection, one considers it an opportunity to understand the value of benevolence, human heartedness, justice, and care for the welfare of others.   Every experience carries with it good values.  But one has to discover them rightly.

Philosophy therefore, is a way to realize the right direction of one’s life through reflection.  In deep reflection, the individual knows what to do and how to live in harmony with others.  He realizes significant lessons and develops good values or virtues in the process. Philosophizing makes the individual see the value of doing his moral obligation to his family and to his state.  He begins to see the essence in things, and the point in doing moral acts.

In deep reflection, one becomes righteous in action.  This righteousness comes from the realization of the individual of the essence of his responsibilities and the virtues that he lived. When one is conscious about his responsibilities and understands the best ways to fulfill them, then, he is noble.  Philosophizing does the same principle to an individual.  It makes one understand the point and the essence of what he does. 

In our modern world, the tendency to follow the “trend” is what is good.  The measure for saying so is that when majority do the thing, it is justified. It becomes the standard of action. Though philosophically speaking, it is not logical.  What makes an action good is that its intention and actualization (ends and means) are both good.

In the Philippines, it is a common fact that our national officials are usually overtaken by unpleasant event.  For example, the Fallen 44 in Mamasapano.  Of course, it was very tragic.  But it does not mean that the solution is the ouster of the President.  That is hasty and unintelligent.  How shall the President be summoned for being irresponsible about the case of the Fallen 44 if he is ousted?  That particular action from many politicians and citizens shows the lack of deep reflection.  Their act was impulsive and illogical. These manifest a sort of social disorder among the government officials and the citizenry.  The act was a question of value.

 Another point would be in choosing to do the wrong thing for the sake of something noble.  An example would be stealing food to feed another person, and killing as a way to feed one’s family. Both actions have good intentions, but the manner of doing them is not good or proper.  Virtue in this sense is taken as a hindrance instead of an opportunity to become a better person.  Even the notion of morality is out of the question whenever one does something “for the greater good”.  A good example of this is the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki during World War II.  The people who died in that explosion seemed to be taken out of the equation when the two bombs were dropped.  It is still an unresolved issue in history.

This case is implicit of social disorder.  Bombing is a heinous crime.  It killed thousands of people.  Yet, it happened in history. Some politically selfish motives or intentions prevailed at the expense of lives of people.  Such disorder was caused by lack of reflection and a sense of what is good.   If deep reflection was done, surely crimes can be prevented.  People can have a clear understanding of what is really “ought” of a situation and be guided with what is right.

If people reflected more on their actions, then they can truly see the importance of having the right values in life.  Living a life without values is living a life of disorder.  The individual has no moral references to guide him in his actions.  Moral values give direction to one’s learning.  Without good attitude, an individual cannot manifest the profoundness of his mind.  Without virtue, a person cannot preserve his learning and cannot live harmoniously with other people.

 The importance of virtue in one’s life does not lie on its impression on others, or the rewards that one might get out of being a person of virtue.  It is in one’s own enlightenment and higher way of living that the importance of virtue is realized.  When a person instills virtue in himself, he is living the Tao.  He lives life with awareness of his actions and the sense of care and concern for others.  In this way, he is more guided in everything he does.  His life becomes profound and harmonious because of his good character.  It becomes contagious to others.  This means that he becomes a good model to others.

Virtues, therefore, are not simply learned.  They become real when practiced and lived. They are signs of a person’s strengths.  It represents the inner refinement of the person in terms of wisdom. 

I connect all these important points to one real experience I had in one of my philosophy subjects last semester.  In that particular class, our professor gave us the freedom to grade or rate our own essay.  This means that it is up to us whether to grade our essay with the highest rating.  We were told by our professor that the rating or grade we indicated in our respective papers will be the final grade or rating in his class record.  Honestly, that was tempting!   But as I read and re-read through my essay, I was sure that it did not deserve to be rated the highest score.  However, with the freedom given to us, I can give myself a perfect score if I wanted to.  I did not. I knew that my answer was wrong.  I gave myself the score that I deserved, because I had a conviction that it was the right thing to do.  It may be a big loss on my part, but I was in peace.   I did not have any guilt feeling.  It is better to be able to do something righteous rather than deny myself of what is good.   I also realized that I did not lose anything.  On the contrary, by being honest, I gained everything.

In that moment, I realized that I learned something from the many lessons taught in Philosophy and all those values learned from home and studies.  I did not have a second thought when I chose to do what was right during that time.  I become more confident in the idea that when one does what is good, it comes back as good. That was the greatest synthesis of philosophical learning I experienced as a student.

 Philosophy, indeed, helps me to reflect deeply on the various experiences I have in my life.  Every experience taught me something.  And the many experiences I have, the more philosophical tasks I need to do.  Of course, there are times that I am also confronted by my weaknesses.  But I really try to follow what should be.  When I commit mistakes, they caused too much pain to me.  But I deliberately feel the pain and cry a river of tears for such pain.  I do not want to shun away from it.  By doing it, I become free from that pain later.

Life is a noble task to accomplish.  It has a lot of challenges.  Most of these are difficult ones.  But all of these challenges are paths towards the cultivation of virtues.  In the end, when one practices virtues, his own life will show their fruits.

Source:

     1.       Fung Yu-Lan, “Confucius, The First Teacher”, (New York: The Free Press, 1948), In A Short History of Chinese Philosophy, 42.

2        2.  Fung Yu-Lan, “Confucius (551-479 B.C.) and Mencius (372-289 B.C.)”, (Boston: Beacon Press, 1962), In The Spirit of Chinese Philosophy, 18.

Confucius: Philosophy As A Way To Govern With Virtues

Philosophy, as demonstrated by Confucius, is a way to govern with virtues.  This is shown in the way he specifies the solution to the philosophical problem.  The solution to the problem of social disorder was to go back to the proper way of living, which is done by learning the Tao.  The specified solution is the appointment of the noble man as the ruler of the state. The noble man practices virtues.  His involvement in a society or state leads to a solution to the problem of social disorder.  With the depth of his knowledge, he becomes a moral reference to the people he serves.

In deep reflection, a noble man has a deeper understanding of life and social functions.   He is involved in the community.  He realizes his responsibilities with others.  He sees the bigger picture of things.  He learns values and virtues in his family, community or society and state.  His inner education is founded on the values from his parents, siblings and other people.  From this, he learns social harmony.  Then he extends this to others.   That is why, as a noble man, he is the right ruler of the state.

Common rulers have the mistake of seeing the state as something which they can use for their own private benefit.  They use the state as something which can please their desires for power and wealth.  In this manner, they use harsh laws that devalue people.  This incites disorder, for the people were not treated right by their ruler.  The noble man, however, resolves this mistake by extending the values he learned from his household towards the state.  He sees the state as a family needed to be guided and taken care of.  He fulfills such objective by governing with virtue.  He does not impose harsh laws, but instead manifests virtue in his actions by being a benevolent ruler acting according to circumstances.  By his example, the people are less likely to rebel because they are treated justly.  People feel their worth, thus, inspiring them to do the same to other people around them. This establishes harmony among the people in a state.   Moreover, every citizen lives a happy life, because he is able to fulfill his obligations without any intention for personal gain.   The state progresses and sustains harmony through time.

The noble man, therefore, deeply reflects before engaging into something.  This is his advantage over the common rulers who disregard reflection in their way of ruling and leading.  In deep reflection, the noble man is more guided in his actions and has a clearer direction in his governance. 

Deep reflection also gives the noble man the will to resolve social disorder by the practice of virtue in his government.  He understands his moral obligations and aims to instill to his people the Way or the Tao by his own life and by the way he rules.  Philosophizing makes the noble man be firm in his resolve even if the circumstances stand in the way of his moral obligation.  One of the mistakes of the common rulers is that they resort to improper or wrong things when they compromise just and right rule with personal gains.  Such weak action manifests lack of deep reflection. 

Confucius wishes to teach us the value of extending one’s learning and practice of virtue to others.  This is because it is in our involvement with other people that we get to know the depth of out learning and the worth of our actions.  His specification of the noble man as the solution to the problem of social disorder points out that in undertaking the noble path, one must be prepared at all times.  Confucius points out that taking the responsibility of being the solution to the problem of social disorder in the world is not an easy task.  Moreover, it is not even an assurance of success when one takes the responsibility.  As one of Confucius’ disciples stated, “The reason why the superior man goes into politics, is because he holds this to be right, even though he is well aware that his principles cannot prevail.” ¹

Based on the statement, in one’s attempt to restore the social harmony in the world through governance, many possible and unfavorable situations will happen.  But a noble ruler stays firmer in his resolve.   He takes every situation as a test of righteousness.  Confucius wishes us to understand that when one is virtuous, he cannot be overtaken by whatever circumstances.  He does what is right and sustains righteousness in his life by constant practice of virtue.  His legacies will live through time.

Source:

   1.       Fung Yu-Lan, “Confucius, The First Teacher”, (New York: The Free Press, 1948), In A Short History of Chinese Philosophy, 44.

NEW SYNTHESIS II - CONFUCIUS

Philosophy, as demonstrated by Confucius is a way to educate oneself into being a noble man. This is shown in the way he lays down the assumptions of the solution to the philosophical problem.  The philosophical problem is the absence of social harmony in the state, and this is rooted from the failure of the individual to actualize his name in agreement with his actions.

Man’s usual tendency to do things in contrast with his name or role and responsibilities is aggravated by his lack of understanding of them. This is the reason why, philosophy becomes a very important discipline which can help one rectify his confusion about his name, role and responsibilities.

The solution to such problem is the education of the person into the right manner of living, since the lack of understanding is the reason as to why people are confused with their names and their responsibilities.  The rectification of names is the primary step for the solution to the philosophical problem of the absence of social harmony. From this step, one initiates himself into the journey of learning the proper way of living.  This is living in accordance to the Tao or the Way.

In order to achieve social harmony, one must first start from himself. This is because if one wishes to be the solution to the absence of social harmony, he needs to be educated through philosophy.  The problem of social harmony is primarily caused by the lack of understanding of name, role and responsibilities by the individuals.  Because of this, people forget tradition, the Way, and the important values to become a good citizen and a good family member.  This education is not aimed solely at the intellectual aspect but at the moral aspect of a person.  This education is more inclined to instilling the principles of the Tao in life. This implies educating oneself to be a noble man, which starts from understanding the crucial concepts in relation to molding one’s intellectual and moral aspects. 

In philosophizing, one does not only deepen his understanding of things, but he also deepens his relation to with them.  This is done when one reflects upon a particular mistake made at a certain project or event.  One does not simply think about the implications of the event, but also the implications of such to one’s self.  In deep reflection, one is able to realize certain points that can aid him into molding his character.  It is in this way that one develops himself into a noble man. 

Deep reflection initiates one into learning.  In relation to educating oneself into becoming a noble man, philosophizing initiates man into learning the Tao. The learning that is being described here does not mean increasing one’s knowledge, but developing a moral life.   Indeed learning, can give one idea of various things, but it does not necessarily imply that it will make him a good person.  A person can be very intelligent but can have a bad attitude.  Politicians for example, are very intelligent in relation to the different laws of the state.  Even though they possess such intelligence, they still do crimes such as corruption and murder.  As Confucius said, “There are men who may be able to stand firm, but may not be able to weigh things in relation to the occasion.” ¹

A higher level of life, therefore, pertains to a life having undoubted knowledge of what is proper, and acting in accordance to this knowledge. Having both could greatly aid one to maintain order in whatever he does or thinks.  However, in order to achieve such life, one must have a guiding principle to follow.  This guiding principle is what one calls the Tao.  The Tao is the proper way in things.  It is the moral principle.  Having the guidance of the moral principles strengthens one in whatever situation.  It makes him consistent in doing what is proper and right.  

Such attitude extends to the point of strictly adhering to one’s tradition instead of doing away with it.  In the modern time, it is observable that traditions are eventually being set aside.   Such thinking is one of the reasons why there is disorder in society and the world.  Traditions are established to value family, connection and history.  They also teach one about the value of respect, commitment and devotion.  They manifest continuity and consistency in values being adhered to. They institutionalized certain community values, beliefs, practices, principles, legacies and norms.  Thus, they teach certain ways of living.    As Fung Yu-Lan stated in his book entitled A Short History of Chinese Philosophy, “The rituals embody a certain standard of action set up to represent righteousness and to represent the moral mean.”  ²

From Fung’s statement, one can say that following rituals is a manifestation of one being in accordance with the moral principle. Following rituals manifests a particular value or virtue. For example, some Bagobo farmers do not do prayer before meals.  This act can be misinterpreted by other people who do not share the same practice.  But these Bagobo farmers explained that prior to planting rice or corn, they have done rituals for blessing of good harvest.  This means that even if they do not do prayer before meals, the prayer ritual they did prior carries the blessings throughout and is realized every time one partakes food in a meal.  This ritual is part of a tradition.  Tradition makes every person, family, community, state and society unique.  It strengthens cohesiveness and harmony among men.

Philosophy helps us understand many components of traditions.  The principles, practices, and values implied in traditions need to be understood so that they will be valued and respected.  They manifest a deeper sense of simple community and social harmony.  They portray life-values developed by people as they journey through time.  These are passed on from one generation to the other.

The aim of philosophizing is to develop a noble man.  Whatever tradition he comes from, the noble man understands his name and role and the responsibilities he must undertake in the process.  He realizes his sociality as he lives according to his name or role.  Without others, he will not be led to deep reflection.  Because of his interaction with others, he learns both the reality of social disorder and the need for social harmony.  That is why, it is very important that one understands his purpose in life.

Learning the Way or the Tao always requires philosophizing and the goal for social harmony.  Social harmony cannot be realized with people who do not reflect in order to become moral and wise.  Becoming moral and wise means that one must engage in refining himself through deep reflection so that he will find the paths towards the realization of virtues.  Only when one becomes virtuous that he becomes a noble man.  Confucius wants us to become a “chun tzu”.   He believes that each has the opportunity to become virtuous.  The ultimate purpose of philosophy is to lead one to virtue. Only when one practices virtue that he becomes a noble man, a “chun tzu”.

However, it takes right attitudes to become a noble man.  There are always desires which can blind one to what is proper.  These right attitudes require selflessness, righteousness, human-heartedness. For example, giving alms to a beggar.  We cannot deny that there are times that we are not willing to give or share our extra money to a beggar roaming around church compounds or city streets. But we know that to share what we have to those who are less fortunate is a noble act, an act of righteousness, selflessness and human heartedness.  In this particular example, we lose the opportunity to become a noble person even in one simple act of giving.

Becoming a noble person does not require a huge or great achievement.  Just doing what is proper and right in a particular situation is an act of a noble man.  The noble man encourages others to do the same and helps multiply in number those who share his purpose.   This is essentially learning the Way or the Tao.  When one learns the Tao, he does the proper way, lives it according to his name or role and helps others discover the same.

The proper way of doing things is not just personal but interpersonal.  Through one’s interaction with others, he realizes the right from the wrong or the proper from the improper. However, as one undertakes the arduous process of learning the Tao, he must get rid of selfishness and learns to be considerate to others.  He learns how to be more involved in the welfare of others without thinking of any personal gain. This is because, in learning what is proper, one humbles himself for the sake of others and restricts his actions to what is proper and moral.  In this way, he prevents chaos or disorder.

In the complex society such as ours, the noble man is the essential solution to resolve the problem of social disorder.  He becomes an instrument of social harmony. He is a basic example of a moral person.   His constant practice of moral values manifests his deep understanding of the essence of personal and social harmony.  To be able to live a good life is to be true and faithful to one’s responsibilities.  Such attitude implies that one has truly educated himself with the Way or the Tao.

Being a noble man requires understanding of the moral principle.  For an individual to do what is “ought” of him, it is only foremost that he understands what “oughtness” is.  This “oughtness” implies one’s actualization of his understanding of his name or role.  He does things without transgressing traditions and skipping from responsibilities.  For example, being a student.  If one understands the essence of being a student, then, he should prioritize studying even if there are times that he fails in a particular subject. This is easily said than done.  But part of the responsibility of a student is to exert more efforts to learn from mistakes and find ways to pass the said subject. This is a noble act of a noble student.

 In the context of tradition, there are parents who consider finishing a degree a priceless wealth in life. Because of this, these parents always advise their children to be serious and responsible in their studies.  They also strip themselves of unnecessary wants and caprices in order to be fully devoted to the education of their children.  This is a noble act of noble parents.

Through philosophizing, there are many ways to become noble.  But the emphasis is that being noble is always based on doing the right things according to one’s name or role. It is the basic and the core of moral principles in the realization of the Tao. When one deeply reflects, he understands both himself and others.  As one reflects on his life, he sees himself as part of a whole in communion with others.  He sees himself as a part of a larger community.  In having this awareness, the individual is then compelled to restrict his actions in consideration of these other people around him.  He becomes conscientious of following the rules in a situation and tradition.  It can be said therefore, that it is only in deep reflection that one is able to see the importance of others in the manifestation of one’s learning and the cultivation of his values.  This is because one cannot confirm his actions, nor even confirm his values without his interaction with others.  The cultivation of values in one’s self means a realization of the importance of others.  This is the essence of social harmony.

Philosophy, as demonstrated by Confucius, is a way to educate oneself to become a noble man. This is shown in the way he lays down the assumptions of a solution to the problem of social disorder.  Philosophy helps one to realize that every person is situated in a particular family, community or society and state which formed the very foundation of traditions.  Traditions are sources of values.  They are sources of moral principles.  From these names and roles are established.  And from these names and roles, one cultivates virtues.  Thus, traditions help one to become noble.

In our world today, technology has played a very significant role in development. Technology is basically manifesting a tradition of modernity.  In simple sense, anything that the world has, signifies a sort of tradition, a way of thinking, a way of living.  But philosophy reminds us to reflect in order to choose what is right or proper.  One should understand the role of technology in the world’s development without violating one’s name and role and the moral tradition which molds him.  This means that even if one has participated in enjoying the modern gadgets, it does not mean that he is enslaved by them. When one uses the gadgets to do research and enrich himself with right information, then, he is acting rightly.  What Confucius wishes us to understand is that being noble means that one still choose to do what is right or proper even if he is surrounded by many unnecessary things.  He knows what to do.

The common mistake of most people is not taking sufficient time to understand their names and roles.  As a result, they choose things or decide on something which are totally irrelevant to their lives.  Consequently, they caused so much disorder in their family, state or society.  They become the scalawags, the delinquents and the criminals.  In a larger scale, they contribute to the social disorder in the world.

 Learning through philosophizing is a noble way of educating oneself.  It is noble because it entails discipline, values and propriety.   He begins to be more conscious about his actions, which then can prevent him from causing trouble to others.  Such can be done when one reflects on his life.  Moreover, learning must be approached as something which can greatly contribute to one’s development as a person.  This development is holistic.  It does not only concern the growth of the mind, but also of the heart in terms morality and social responsibility.   One must consider learning as an opportunity to make one’s life better by realizing one’s involvement in a greater scheme of things.  This implies treating every experience as a way to realize the Tao.

In my life, I have read many books and materials and I learned many things from them.  But sometimes I realized that I become senseless in some things.   I even think that is it getting pointless studying about a particular subject when it has no use in the real world.   But then a particular event made me think otherwise.  It was just another ordinary day at school.  As I passed through the metal detector, one of the guards reminded me about not covering my identification card with my permit.  She did the same the next day I entered the same gate.  I committed the said mistake twice.  But I did not feel bad when the guard told me on what is proper.  I nodded and I realized the principle implied in the system of the metal detector.  Moreover, I felt good about being able to understand the rule.  It made me feel responsible and dignified.  Truly, I felt a real connection to Confucius’ teaching on understanding one’s role and doing it without confusion and pride.  

 At that time, I was able to say that indeed, following a rule is a humbling experience. It was humbling because I realized that my lack of knowledge on such thing caused me to do what was not proper.  But my understanding of my being a student in the university led me to do what was proper.   By that, I learned to appreciate the guard who knows her role and responsibility.  She taught me how to be noble in a simple way.  I realized that to be noble does not require great achievement.   The experience made me appreciate the beauty of the teachings of Confucius, and it really made me appreciate the simple deed that I had done.  I realized that my learning is nothing unless it is actualized in real situation.  That was a test to me.  To be noble is to act properly and rightly.  I realized that my appreciation of the act of the guard was a manifestation of deep reflection based on that simple situation.  My proper attitude towards her also manifests a fruit of philosophizing on such situation.

The experience also taught me another thing. It taught me that it entails a right attitude to do a right thing.  I did not talk back or show indifference to the guard while she was reminding me of my identification card.  What I did was to listen to her and grasp what she was telling me.  For me, her act was an act of respect and propriety.  She left a strong impact to my learning as a student. I consider her a noble guard.  She taught me a noble lesson which I will treasure forever.

 As Confucius stated in Analects 15:28, “It is man that can make the Way great, and not the Way that can make man great.” ³

By this line, Confucius wishes us to understand the value of the Tao.  To become noble is a matter of right choice. Right choice is founded on deep reflection. Deep reflection leads one to discover and develop virtues.  When one develops virtues, he practices them in his life, and in his family, state or society.  In this way, he avoids social disorder and advocates social harmony.   Thus, Confucius is right when he said that man makes the Way great when he does what is proper or moral.  It is by man’s moral actions that the Tao becomes great. Becoming noble is not being great but being right.

Sources:

  1.       Fung Yu-Lan, “Confucius (551-479 B.C.) and Mencius (372-289 B.C.)”, (Boston: Beacon Press, 1962), In The Spirit of Chinese Philosophy, 22.

       2.    Fung Yu-Lan, “Confucius (551-479 B.C.) and Mencius (372-289 B.C.)”, (Boston: Beacon Press, 1962), In The Spirit of Chinese Philosophy, 21.

      3.  Wing Tsit Chan, “The Humanism of Confucius”, (United States: Princeton University Press, 1963), In A Source Book In Chinese Philosophy, 44.

   

Confucius: Philosophy as a Way To Cultivate Virtues In Oneself

Philosophy, as demonstrated by Confucius, is a way to cultivate virtues in oneself.  This is shown in the way he characterizes the ideal human being.  In becoming a solution to the world, it is only foremost that one needs to have a clear understanding of the proper way of things.  In order to become the manifestation of harmony in the world, one must have the proper attitudes in order to translate such harmony into appropriate actions.

Cultivating proper attitudes require not only intellectual prowess but also a deeper sense of morality.  All of these can be done when one philosophizes.  In deep reflection, one can see the importance of his involvement with others, and the need for one to restrict his actions to what is proper.  Deep reflection does not only educate man in the wisdom of things, but also it cultivates values for one to be truly educated within.   These values are benevolence, propriety, righteousness, and wisdom, which yield other virtues which can aid an individual into fashioning his life in accordance to the moral principle.   Fung Yu - Lan stated in his book entitled The Spirit of Chinese Philosophy, that the understanding of morality is “that element in moral action which makes it moral.” ¹

From Fung’s statement, one can say that when one understands the moral principle, then his actions will be in accordance with what is proper. Without any understanding of such, an individual’s actions can be reduced merely for some utilitarian or selfish end which can even breed more problems, if not immediately avoided.  It can cause disorder in one’s relationship with his family, and with his community.

Philosophizing, through deep reflection, leads one to a clearer direction in life.  When one’s mind is clear of any doubt or confusion, then, he sees the deeper and more profound significance of all things.  From there, he strengthens his character.  He becomes more committed to do what is proper and harmonious.  He develops a better sense of himself and others in the state or society where he is actively a participant.  He never stops learning from all the experiences he has.  His perspectives become sharper. He becomes more oriented with his family and community.  He maintains an interpersonal connection with others even in the most ordinary concerns in life.   He has a true sense of the ultimate purpose of moral life.  With all of these, he cultivates virtues within and he manifests these in all activities in his life.  Then, he becomes a model of moral life to others.  He becomes an instrument of harmony in his family, state and society.

 The cultivation of virtues in oneself is not an easy task.  Because of this, philosophy aids one to learn and practice virtues through the ordinary realities and concerns of life.  But one has to learn and practice deep reflection in order to begin his journey towards a virtuous life. This will prevent an individual into doing anything impulsive and improper.  Example of this is an individual sincerely obeying his parents and does his chores.  In his community, he obeys the rules and does not bend them.  As a fruit of deep reflection, one becomes guided with his responsibilities and does them with commitment and devotion.  His actions are done with conscientiousness with the right and moral principles. 

Confucius wishes to teach us the value of philosophy.  Through philosophy, one is able to realize the essence of learning from the actual realities of life.  He wants us to realize that learning is directed at the refining both our minds and hearts by the practice of virtues to make us better citizens and persons in our respective family and society.  Virtue is the foundation of a moral life.  It is the wisdom ultimately embedded in philosophy.  Philosophy educates us to become wise and virtuous.

Source:

   1.       Fung Yu-Lan, “Confucius (551-479 B.C.) and Mencius (372-289 B.C.)”, (Boston: Beacon Press, 1962), In The Spirit of Chinese Philosophy, 11.

  

Confucius: Philosophy As A Way To Educate Oneself To Be A Noble Man

Philosophy, as demonstrated by Confucius, is a way to educate oneself in becoming a noble man.  This is shown in the way he lays down the assumptions of a solution to the philosophical problem.  The philosophical problem was the absence of social harmony in a state.  In order to solve such problem, one must educate himself about what is right and proper.  This implies that one must learn the Way or the Tao.  Such learning only implies educating oneself into becoming a noble man.

When one does not have a clear understanding of the proper ways of doing things or proper ways of acting, he is in chaos.  This is the reason why people tend to forget the importance of things such as tradition. Without deep reflection, persons cannot see the essence of traditions as a way to show reverence to ancestors, a way to deepen one’s sense of community, a way to appreciate one’s citizenship in a state and a way to strengthen the family.   

Philosophy helps one to have a deeper understanding of right or proper things in life.  With deep reflection, an individual is educated to the proper attitudes in approaching life.  This also includes following one’s tradition and acting what is ought of him in his home or in his state.  Such deep reflection makes the individual aware of his obligations. It makes him fulfill his responsibilities wholeheartedly, thus, preventing any cause of conflict in his home or in his state. Such is the manifestation of becoming the solution for the problem of social disorder. 

When one philosophizes, he does what is expected of him, fulfills his name and does his responsibilities.  When one does these, he refines his thoughts, opts for morality and lives his life according to Tao.  In these ways, he gradually and practically educates himself to become a noble man.  He knows himself and regulates his life according to what is proper and right.

To become a noble man is an ultimate goal of every individual.  But this will not be realized without going into reflection in order to have a profound understanding of things in life.  Reflection tames an individual’s scattered and undirected thoughts and interpretations of realities.  This leads him to clarity of purpose and wisdom of right living. Thus, he becomes a solution to disorder in society, state and family.    As Fung Yu-Lan stated in his book entitled The Spirit of Chinese Philosophy, “It is only then when a man has this undoubting knowledge that he can begin in all truth to act human-heartedly and righteously.” ¹

It can be said from Fung’s statement that when an individual has truly philosophized, he has a clearer direction in all things, he has a better perspectives on realities, he has deeper respect for tradition, family and laws and he has a profound sense of righteousness and human-heartedness.   He practices right values and help others live the same values.  He becomes a sign of truth and a model of action to his family, state and society.  Then, he becomes noble both in intellect and in action.

Confucius teaches us that every person has an opportunity to become noble through philosophy.  However, it takes right attitudes to philosophize.  Since becoming a noble man is one’s ultimate goal in life, then, every man has to learn and practice philosophy in order to reach a higher way of thinking to realize the Tao.  To become a noble man is also a noble task.  It entails deeper realization of what one ought to be in society, in the family and in a state.  It is still a matter of personal choice to become noble.  Among the many noble activities in life, the noblest is philosophizing.   When one philosophizes, he realizes the truth that becoming a noble man and realizing the Tao are possible.

Source:

   1.       Fung Yu-Lan, “Confucius (551-479 B.C.) and Mencius (372-289 B.C.)”, (Boston: Beacon Press, 1962), In The Spirit of Chinese Philosophy, 21.

NEW SYNTHESIS I - CONFUCIUS

Philosophy, as demonstrated by Confucius in Ancient Chinese Philosophy is a way to lead one back to the proper way of living.  This is shown in the way he perceives the philosophical problem.  This problem is the absence of social harmony or social disorder in the world, which is rooted in the absence of the Tao or the Way.

Before we proceed, let us first clarify as to what is the “Tao” or the “Way” in the Confucian sense.  In Fung Yu-Lan’s book entitled The Spirit of Chinese Philosophy, describes the Tao as “the Great Way for man” ¹  

The “Great Way” in this sense can be understood as a way of life which is anchored in living with good values and with a higher sense of thinking.  It is living with right conduct, an enlightened mind, and a sense of responsibility.  The absence of such “way” means the lack of understanding of the individuals of such way of living.  Social disorder happens, and the state is thrown into chaos. 

Disorder is said to be rooted from the incapability of the people in the state to live up to the responsibilities given to them. It is because of this that there are problems in the processing of transaction of the state in many respective sectors.  It is because of “incorrect names” that social disorder occurs.  “Incorrect names” are respective roles and responsibilities of an individual which are not fulfilled in action and lifestyle in home and society.

Disharmony happens because people have not paid attention in their respective roles, both in their homes and in their societies. They do not pay attention as to what is the proper way in fulfilling their roles in the state.  They simply do things blindly, acting various roles other that what they should.  This is observable in the children acting like adults, saying that they know everything.  It is observable with the intellects who claim that they know the right answer to every problem.   It is also observable among the politicians who act as kings rather than public servants.  As one can see, all of these people lack the understanding as to how they would properly execute their roles in their home and in their society.   They did not justify their “name.”  This is all because they did not deeply reflect about their actions.  And because of that, they fail to see the proper way of fulfilling their roles.  They fail to live a proper life of good attitude, enlightened thinking, and responsibility.  This caused confusion, misunderstanding and division among people. This is the so-called social disorder that Confucius became wary about during his time. 

That is why, in order to resolve such dilemma in the society, Confucius proposes for the rectification of names.  As Fung Yu-Lan stated in his book, A Short History of Chinese Philosophy:

“In regard to society, he held that in order to have a well-ordered one, the most important thing is to carry out what he called the rectification of names. That is, things in actual fact should be made to accord with the implication attached to them by names.” ²

Fung’s statement implies that the primary step in leading oneself back to the right way of living is by doing rightly and living in actuality his name along with all responsibilities attached to such name.  This means that one must act his role, whether it would be at home or in the society.  Social disorder happened when the individuals living in the state are not faithful to their respective roles.  However, if one deeply reflects about his life, he can get to see that he has roles to fulfill.

These proper ways constitute both the means of proper way of doing it and the right attitude towards it.  One cannot have such profound realization if he does not take a step back and reflect on his doings.   If one deeply reflects about his life, he can realize that he has a set of responsibilities that he must fulfill based on his specific role.  In this sense he can avoid acting what is not “named” of him.  One can see clearly the things to be done and the things that needed his attention.  In this sense the individual prevents himself from inciting disorder in his home and his community.  If the state adapts such deep reflection, then it can prevent delays or complications in many transactions and ways of implementing rules.  This is because everyone has a deep understanding of their roles in home and society.

By philosophizing, an individual can have a clear idea about his priorities.  It gives him ideas of how to fulfill such priorities in a proper manner.  Philosophizing leads the individual back to the proper way of living by being aware of his responsibilities and the ways to fulfill them.   By one’s deep understanding of the essence of his “name”, he gradually walks towards learning the ways of the Tao. Clarity of name and its purpose are important in being able to cultivate harmony within oneself.  This is because it organizes one’s mind into a specific idea, which prevents one to incorrectly identify himself with other roles other than his own. Clarity provides the essential foundation for the individual to cultivate harmony and values within him. Clarity is essential in coming up with the solution for a problem. This is because if one does not have a clear idea as to what is the problem and what is the root of it, then the search for an appropriate solution is difficult.

Philosophy, as demonstrated by Confucius, is a way to lead one back into the proper way of living.  This is shown in the way he identifies the philosophical problem of the absence of harmony in a state.  The philosophical problem is rooted in the absence of the Tao or basis for living a good life anchored in morals, responsibility, and higher thinking.  This absence of the Tao is manifested by the people not living according to their “names” or their responsibilities.  Such thinking and way of life creates disorder, and even breeds misunderstanding and conflict among people. Without philosophizing, an individual cannot grasp their roles in their homes and in their state. 

Philosophizing provides the individual with the deep understanding of their responsibilities.  By deep reflection, an individual can see that there is a need to harmonize one’s action and lifestyle with one’s names or responsibilities.  Only then that one can unite with his neighbors and others.  Having one’s action in accordance with his name and responsibility prevents misunderstanding among people.  It prevents chaos, for each person knows what to do and what not to do. Thus, it prevents him from assuming roles that are not his.

Philosophizing helps one to be more aware of his duties and responsibilities to his state and to his family.  It makes him aware of his social relationships.  It guides him to right actions.   In this sense the individual is more inclined to mold himself into a person of virtue by the essence of right action and right living. Philosophizing is a higher thinking activity which leads one to reflect, refine his thoughts, enlighten his pursuits and deepen his values.   It leads him to wisdom of propriety and union with the Tao. In other words, philosophizing is an activity directed towards molding the individual to live the values of harmony first within his self, towards others and towards the world.  These are the basic lessons which Confucius wishes us to realize in Philosophy.

In such a modern society, we are overwhelmed by the many changes caused by technology and science.  Technology and science keeps giving new inventions and discoveries that can make our lives better and more comfortable.  Laws upgrade alongside crimes to ensure that justice is given to the persons who deserve it.  Education is upgrading with the latest technology to keep abreast with much modern and more effective teaching and learning environment. Oftentimes, when people are overwhelmed by these, they tend to forget to stop and reflect.   Because of this tendency, one even goes to the point of forgetting his role in home and society.

 Thirteen year-olds and even younger kids these days act like they are adults. Girls put on make-up, and boys go drinking liquor.  In social media, one can even see underage kids acting in such an undignified manner, wearing revealing clothes and acting indifferently.  In the adult world, there are those who act like kids.  This is shown by some intellectuals who refuse to be open to other ideas and some politicians who insist that they are innocent of a crime, even if it is the contrary.  People tend to fail in justifying their roles because of the fact that they did not deeply reflect about the responsibilities attached to the names they bear.  In this sense, quarrel between families happen, and corruption and crime becomes adamant in the state.  From these, one will realize that disorder happens when one does not act and live his life according to his name or responsibility.

Roles and the responsibilities define one’s name.  However, having roles and responsibilities does not mean that one is not free.  Rather, it is the essence of one’s freedom.  Having roles and responsibilities aid one to do things accordingly.  This cultivates good values and right living.  For example, one does not learn how to be a good writer unless he develops the skill and practices it.  By this, he conscientiously and religiously learns and practices processes that will lead him to become best writer.  He practices patience, determination, discipline, and love of one’s responsibilities.  This principle extends even in politics.  If a government official acts according to his role, then people will support and respect him.  He is faithful to his role and responsibility.

The notion of roles and responsibilities confused me as a student and a private person.  When I started my college life, dozens of responsibilities of overwhelmed me in the university. I have to attend general assemblies.  I have to do many assignments of my different professors.  I have to beat deadlines, and study my lessons every day. It even came to a point that I became too lazy to do anything at all. I delayed working on some assignments because it was becoming a pain to do.  I even experienced feeling so tired because of the many academic concerns.  I have been away from my parents for almost four semesters.  I missed our home and other ordinary things I do as a private person.

As I sat alone in one corner of our dorm, I began to reflect about many things.  I realized my kind of attitude towards my assignments, to my professors and to my other academic responsibilities.  Then, I felt sad and empty.  Later, I realized that my actions were not doing me any good.  They were not making me a responsible student.  Moreover, my workload increases as I delay things.   It turned out that my behavior made me suffer more than I have ever imagined.  My life was in total chaos.  I was confused and did not know what to do.  I became anxious and pressured by things.  My life was in disorder, and I cannot feel any harmony within me.  I was not inspired in doing things.

I realized that I was not doing my responsibility as a “student”.   I was not even justifying my name as a “Philosophy student”.  I was acting another role.  I was acting like a spoiled kid who never grew up.  Like an immature person, I was running away from my responsibilities.  I realized that there is no point running away.  Retreating to my own solitary world cannot solve my bad attitude or my disorganized life.  It is in being able to accept, understand and do rightly my responsibilities and roles that I become what I truly am.

 Then, I realized some of our lessons which centers on virtue, the Tao or the Way.  They are useless if they do not affect me.  Philosophy is nothing if it does not help me transform into a better person.  I mean, anything learned in classrooms and in ordinary experiences have significant messages to me.  This is what philosophy really teaches each of us.  This is what Confucius wants us to realize.  And, honestly, this becomes my goal in life.

Confucius teaches us that name and the responsibilities attached to it involved many challenges.  If one is living his life with the Tao, he learns to philosophize and reflect on the messages of every challenge he meets while fulfilling these responsibilities attached to his name or role.  He never gives up or surrenders and becomes hopeless.  He learns values and finds harmony within and with others.   If one sets aside philosophy, he will not realize the way of the Tao and will never deeply appreciate and rightly fulfill his name or role and his responsibilities.

Thus, each of us has our respective name, role and responsibility.  The task of one is to realize them as the ultimate meaning of his life and the very essence of the Tao.  Realizing them is not an easy task. It takes one to consistently search and find good values in everything he does.  Then, he becomes a source of harmony in his home and society.  Indeed, it is a great opportunity that philosophy helps us realize the right way to a fulfilled life.  Confucius teaches us that the measure of a life lived in the Tao is when one faithfully does his responsibilities according to his name or role.

Source:

    1.    Fung Yu-Lan, “Confucius (551-479 B.C.) and Mencius (372-289 B.C.)”, (Boston: Beacon Press, 1962), In The Spirit of Chinese Philosophy, 20.

2      2. Fung Yu-Lan, “Confucius, The First Teacher”, (New York: The Free Press, 1948), In A Short History of Chinese Philosophy, 41.

Confucius: Philosophy as a Way to Return to Right Living

Philosophy, as demonstrated by Confucius, is a way to lead one back into right living.  This is shown in the way he identifies the philosophical problem, which is the absence of social harmony in the state.  Such absence is rooted in the absence of the Way or the Tao in the state. This is manifested by people having their responsibilities, roles, and actions not in agreement with each other.

Every “name” or role assigned to a person has responsibilities with it.  Being “named” as a student implies that one should take the initiative of managing one’s time and studying well.  Being “named” as a leader implies the responsibility of being just, proper and consistent about rules.  As Fung Yu-Lan stated in his book entitled A Short History of Chinese Philosophy, “In other words, every name contains certain implications which constitute the essence of that class of things to which this name applies.” ¹

When people do not justify their roles and responsibilities in their actions, many things do not come to place.  This is where the problem starts.  Misunderstandings occur and transactions are not smooth.  This can even breed conflict between people.  This is observable in people acting not according to their roles.  Examples, public servants acting like kings instead of serving the people, and children acting like adults even if they are not too wise about the world yet.  Family problems and crimes in the state occur because people do not act according to their roles.  Misfortunes happen when acts and roles or names do not coincide with each other.  

It is in this sense that Confucius wishes to remedy the situation of social disorder by the “rectification of names”.  This “rectification” implies consistency in carrying out the responsibilities attached to the names of individuals.  It is when each individual understand their roles or names and act accordingly.  Through this, he initiates harmony in his home and in the state.

  When one has fully grasped his role as a student, ruler, or worker, he prevents himself from causing disharmony.  When one is able to have his name and actualize it, then, he is in the right track in life.  Having a clear idea of what to do and the expected responsibilities helps one to live properly and in harmony with others.   It makes one learn the value of strict compliance and become consistent with one’s role.  In this manner, one can co-exist with other people in his home or in his community.  In the political sense, implementations and other transactions are easily done.  Each person functions according to his respective job descriptions and roles.

 One’s fulfillment of his roles and responsibilities is the way of the Tao. This is the ultimate purpose of every person.  Deep reflection leads one to the Tao. Confucius, in his demonstration of Philosophy, wishes to teach us the significance of deep reflection so that we will understand our names, roles and responsibilities.

Philosophy helps one to avoid embracing an “incorrect name” and preventing disorder or disharmony in society.  Names identify one from the other.  Roles explain what is in the name.  Responsibilities actualize the names and roles of respective persons.  There are challenges in every name and role.  These challenges should motivate one to understand the responsibilities attached to his name or role.  Thus, Confucius teaches us that when one certainly understands his name and role, he knows what to do and how to live rightly.

Source:

   1.       Fung Yu-Lan, “Confucius, The First Teacher”, (New York: The Free Press, 1948), In A Short History of Chinese Philosophy, 41.