Synthesis Paper 1.F

What is Philosophy as demonstrated in Ancient Chinese Philosophy by Confucius?

Introduction

Philosophy in Ancient Chinese as demonstrated by Confucius is living an ideal life that is rooted for humanity. Confucius has taught to know the self first, then cultivate it. In this way, it would be easier in knowing and dealing other people. This is evident in Confucius statement as he perceives the philosophical problem, assumes the solution to the philosophical problem, characterizes the ideal human being, lays out the steps of self-cultivation, and specifies the solution to the philosophical problem.

Man as being conscious about the world

In this section, Confucius is teaching man to be observant of his surroundings. This is to say that he should be able to notice the different societal situations. By being observant, the man may be able to identify errors happening in the society. Realizing that there are errors in the society, it leads to the reflection on why the society ended up like that.

According to Confucius, the errors that are mentioned above are rooted to the incorrect use of names. Meaning that people just bring names without even acting according to it. They do not care about the sense of responsibility that the name may entail. What these people care about are the name they are bringing. They will do everything to get it and this is sometimes far from what the name is trying to establish. For example, a doctor is called a doctor when one has finished the course and pass the licensure exam. When a person operates a clinic because his father was a doctor before and he only continued his father's legacy without graduating the course and passing the exam, then the person used the name incorrectly. For Confucius, this is the start of the disorder and the error in the society. The self-proclaimed doctor doesn't know anything yet he runs and operates a clinic. Soon enough customers will file charges to him for faking everything. This is the effect of his incorrect using of the name "doctor".

When a person becomes aware of the different social disorders, then there is this tendency for man to find solutions to end this chaos. Wishing to change the system always entails man to change his self first and this leads to the next step.

Man as cultivating the self

When one is ready to make a change of himself, then Confucius' assumed solution is to form and cultivate the person. The formation and cultivation is done through educating the self. Educating the person will help him in knowing more things. The education is done through two ways. First is through living examples. This is to say that the present society and present attitude will tell him of the current problems and situations that would help him understand better his self and his place in the society. The second way is educating him using the past. The past tells something a lot of the present. The present is formed by the influences of the past. The person may look unto them and may relate things that he is experiencing now that is similar to what had happened in the past. These, however is not a repetition of what had happened for it will not be done in the same way and the motivation that had driven the person to do it may not be the same. Looking at the past and the present teaches the person to know where he belongs.

The education of the self is important for the person as he tries to learn his self. This is to say that he examines his self to how far he has come especially in trying to create a solution to the disorders in the society.

A man of virtues

Since the man has able to examine his self, he tries to deepen more his understanding of his self to be able to understand more the solution he is creating to solve the problem. The man has understood, at this point, that the he cannot solve the problem by not changing his self. In this stage, as the man is trying to know the self more, he also tries to understand the people around him as they are the people who consists the society. Being the people of the society, then they are also the key to solve the the disorders in the society. They are the ones that also requires change.

The kind of man that Confucius is been trying to let everyone be is to be a noble man. Being a noble man is not given at hand but is to be developed. As the person is trying to cultivate his self, Confucius says that the cultivation of the person's self is towards becoming a noble man. A noble man is someone who guides the people towards the Tao or the Way that is the ideal life to be lived. The person who tries to solve the problem is leading towards becoming a noble man as, like a noble man, he tries to lead the people in changing the society to eliminate the errors that has been occurring. The Tao in that sense is a society which is away from the errors and disorders.

Some of the virtues that the noble man must have is being a human-hearted person. Meaning the person realizes his humanity, his being human. In order to relate to other human beings, he must know how to be human. Next virtue is to be a man of righteousness. Since the man is trying to engage his self to the people, he must be very careful in observing the truths that the other people have been saying to him. Righteousness is very essential both in his learning in the present and in the past as he always has to weigh down statements and situations and chooses which is right and justifiable. He decides according to what is right and not of other external factors. Next virtues is propriety. All of what the person must do must be in accordance to what is proper. Meaning the ways of his living and learning must always be in accord on how the people do it. This again is not repetition as the person must know the essence of such doing. The act must not be in the sake of compliance but because of the meaning or essence it entails. The last virtue is wisdom. In all the other virtues, I believe that wisdom is present in all of them. There is this sense of knowing, understanding and judging in each of them which describes wisdom. The wholeness of the virtue of wisdom comes after the judging. It is when the person has put into action all that he had known, understood and judged. It is seen in the application of what he has learned.

All of these virtues are helping the person as he continues in educating his self in knowing more who he really is. At the same time, it is knowing the other people. It is relating to them, to all of them regardless of the race, social status and other determinants that divides the people.

A man of morality

Since the person has developed in him the value of weighing things, when all his intentions in deciding is always for the good of the people, then he knows what is right from wrong. When the person is always in accordance to what is good, he is considered to be a man of morality. Being a man of morality is deciding things that is always in the side of goodness not just for the self but for the others too.

Being a man of morality is a never ending process and knowing what is good is also a never ending process. A noble man is in constant learning and the learnings he acquired are perfected through his actions which deciding in the light of goodness. The deciding part however is difficult as the man needs to see the smaller pictures of the situation but it doesn't mean that he will forget about the greater details. The noble man balances the smaller and greater details. Aside from paying attention to small and great details, the person deciding must also be free from emotional baggages. He must not decide relying on his feelings as feelings changes. Feelings can also be manipulated but goodness is not. When the person has decided, a man of morality sticks to what he has said. His decision must not just be the reflection of what his mind is thinking. He speech and mind must be not be in harmony with one another.

A man of morality exercises these things. He is in constant learning of all these things. He never forgets as it becomes a habit.

A noble man as the ideal person

I had already said that being a noble man is what Confucius says to be the ideal kind of man. The cultivation of the self is becoming the noble man. All the characteristics and virtues mentioned are traits of a noble man but these traits should not just be practiced for a number of days. As what I have said, it has to become a habit. The perfection of these things should be seen consistently in the man's actions.

Enacting the traits are not that easy. The person must start from the smallest things. He should can show his learnings first in small settings like the family. Everything is formed in the family. Whatever attitude and behavior one shows to the public reflects the kind of attitude and behavior he shows to the one closest to him which is his family. He must perfect the characteristics and virtues within the parameters of the family as it will influence in a much bigger society. When the person is elected in a government office, he must remember that the demands given to him is the same in the demands in his family although these are required in a much larger scope. To be a noble man is that he must not change, he must be consistent. He must stay the same. Whatever attitude and behavior he had in his family must be the same even though he is running a state. He could even consider the state as a family. As a leader, the noble man must inspire the others. He should set as a good example to his people. Since he is a noble man, his attitudes is rooted in the virtues and this is the same thing he should do as a leader. He should guide the people according to the virtues. He must not impose it as Confucius does not want people to be forced but he inspire them by doing it.

Being a noble man is a a name gained when all these things are done all the days of the mans life.

Conclusion

The life of a noble man is the ideal life as it is always in the light of goodness. being a noble man is the solution to the problem. As mentioned, a noble man always thinks what is good and this goodness is not influenced by emotion but by the mind. It is a product of the careful weighing of the things. Being a noble man is ideal as it does not promote a life of isolation, a life of selfishness but a life that is to be with others. He does not only decide what is going to be the best for him but also what is the best for others.

Disorders is always present in the society as not all people possesses all the above mentioned characteristics but Confucius is still trying to say that being a noble man is the ideal man. It is the life that is best for all. It is not isolating the self away from the others but it is being with them. It is inspiring the people to follow the Tao, the ideal way of life.