What did you do for Ancient Chinese Philosophy today?
At this moment, I tried to understand Analect 1:1 as a start of understanding Chinese Philosophy itself.
What idea did you encounter that turned out to be meaningful?
As I tried to research the meaning of this analect, Confucius is trying to tell that everyone can be a junzi or a noble man, superior man, authentic man. But what does it mean by noble act? According to Aristotle, a noblest act is when things are done for the for the most beautiful reason possible. According to Nietzsche, he based nobility to individual achievement. Although these two said differently, there is one thing in common, they define nobility as a tool to have a good and better future. That it leads a person to a healthy life which enables him/her to act the role assigned in order to create harmony in the society. And this is the ideal person according to Confucius, a good person.
In my understanding, Confucius is trying to say that ranks and high positions are not important. Social status must not be the primary concern of the people, rather self-cultivation, self-enriching for them to function well in the society. Recognition comes after doing the said things.
Source: http://www.acmuller.net/con-dao/analects.html
http://www.ehow.com/facts_5563339_noble-person.html
http://www.wabashcenter.wabash.edu/syllabi/g/gier/308/308analects.htm
No comments:
Post a Comment