Revised S1.C

What is Philosophy as demonstrated in Ancient Chinese Philosophy by Confucius in the way he characterizes the ideal human being?

Philosophy as demonstrated in Ancient Chinese Philosophy by Confucius in the way he characterizes the ideal human being is to be a man with virtues.

In the past synthesis paper, I stated there that a noble man must exemplify virtues. The virtues that I stated are rooted in humanity. Meaning it is for and by humans. These are set of values that a person must enact when he/she is guided by the Tao.

First virtue is human-heartedness. This virtue is letting the person realize his self as a human person. This is to say that he/she must know how to be human and how to relate with other human beings. Some of the qualities that a human person who is guided by the Tao are (1) earnestness wherein the person is shows conviction and dedication in everything he does, (2) generosity wherein the person does not keep everything for himself/herself but shares to others, (3) truthfulness wherein the person stands on to what he/she is saying, (4) diligence wherein the person is persistent in what he/she stands for.

The qualities mentioned above are essential in knowing the self and knowing how to relate to the others. When one has known how to be human, that is to be a moral person, then it would be easy for him/her to relate to others. To be able to relate to others, one must establish relationships with them. This is done through being obedient to the elderly. Obedience here is not simply obeying everything but it is also through knowing the essence of the order and having a pure intention in doing it. Establishing relationships is also done through extending oneself to others. Being able to establish relationships to other people lasts when the persons involved are loyal to each other. This is to say that the person must set the other as one of the priorities. He/She must see that the other is important to him. When one has set the other as an important person, then he/she will do things that is good for him/her just like what he/she wanted the other to do to him/her.

Second virtue is righteousness. Righteousness is being able to weigh down circumstances. A person who is righteous listens to every side of the story. He/She makes decision in accordance to what is right and justifiable. The decision is always up to what is good.

Third virtue is Propriety. This virtue emphasizes on what is right in accordance to the norms of the society. It is doing the practices and other things corresponding to how the other people are doing them. This sticking to the practices, however is not simply imitating them but having the intention of doing it so. When one has the pure intention and does not act it according to how the society must do it, then that is not what propriety is about. Propriety is having the pure intention and appropriating the action based on how society shows it. Propriety allows a person to be disciplined, to be in harmony with others.

Fourth virtue is Wisdom. For me, Wisdom is the ground of all the other virtues. To be man of humanity, one must be able to know the self first before knowing or being able to relate to others. Wisdom there is learning how to be human and the firmness of the established relationship is tested through knowing when the other is being loyal. To be righteous is "...to hear much and select what is good and follow it"(i). Meaning wisdom is the weighing of statements and knowing what is right for him/her to follow. To be man of propriety is to be able to follow the norms, that is right, of the society with understanding each of them. Wisdom plays a part in understanding the practices before doing it. Wisdom, in an overall sense, is the core virtue and the others are the enactment of it. It is present in all the other virtues.

These four virtues, human-heartedness, righteousness, propriety, and wisdom are the characteristics an ideal man, which is a noble man, must have. Confucius' Philosophy is forming and cultivating a person to be a man with virtues.


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Source
(i) Analect 7:27