Understanding The Self: The Self in Confucian Thought

Editor's Notes

1. You recognize his name because he is famous for saying things During the time he was born, nag away away ang mga rulersThen, he exemplified benevolence and integrityHe was known as China’s Greatest Philosopher
2. Kahit na mahirap ang buhay, his family made sure that he received proper education. Born at a time when conflict and war were everywhere. Nagkaroon ng social and moral decay. He wanted order and harmony. Kaya nakaisip ng paraan to restore social and moral order. Kaya inimbento ang Confucianism (ethical thought) Confucians – searched for political order -attainment should be through moral principles rather than hard power and force.
3. His philosophy came to be known as….He considers the society and its communities as the main source of values of both human beings and the society in general.
4. "Kahit na ang paraan ng mga tao ay pinagbabatayan sa landas ng langit at nagpapatakbo alinsunod sa paraan ng kalikasan, ito ay sa mga mithiin ng pantaong paraan na ang mga tao ay dapat humingi ng patnubay sa reporma at pagpapabago sa lipunan"
5. Propriety – pagiging angkop sa pagsunod ng mga ritwal, etc. Filiality – pagkamamamayan o gampanin sa pamilya Rightness – katuwiran o katarungan sa mga ginagawang bagay
6. REN INVOLVES FEELINGS AND THINKING – foundation of all human relationships CONFUCIUS never gave a specific definition for REN
7. Confucius believed that….REN is something found within each person and can be realized in one’s personal life and relationships
8. Confucius further believed that REN can only be realized through Li, Xiao, Yi
9. Ang mga tuntunin ay may kinalaman sa pagsunod sa ritwal ng komunidad Ang LI ay bumubuo ng batayan na nagpapatuloy at pinagtibay ng human practice through generation
10. Kasama ng pagmamalasakit sa sarili ang pagpapaunlad. Rejects selfish behavior. Nililinang ang inner qualities of humanity Dahil dito, ang tao ay nagtitimpi, mahinahon at disiplinado.These acts and rituals (religious or cultural) highlight social and public character of human actions (katangian ng kilos)
11. All moral teachings should be practiced first in the family. Children show respect to their parents by exerting efforts to take care of themselves.EXAMPLE: keeping fit and healthy, proper diet, regular exercise
12. Making himself to earn respect for others. If NO honor, he must do his best to not disgrace the family
13. Relationships that exist in the family reflect how the person relates to others in the community. How the person interacts socially and the values he emulates can all be traced back to his family environmentThis forms the baes of the person’s moral and social virtue
14. Actions must be performed and carried out because they are the right actions.
15. EXAMPLE: Obedience to parents, is expected of children because it is morally right and obligatory to do so.
16. -In his own life, unfortunately, he failed in that vision, because he could not find the dukes and kings to adhere to his ideas. But where he did succeed was as a very successful teacher. He had very loyal students who became his disciples, and they carried on his mission and his teachings until Confucianism eventually became China’s dominant philosophy.
17. By reviving Confucius, they are making the case that China has its own political culture based on its own political and philosophical history. China therefore does not have to head toward democracy in the way that Western advocates would like to see happen. It can have a political future based on what it sees as its philosophical past. What the Chinese Communist Party is doing is taking a very narrowly defined, carefully selected version of Confucianism to push ideas they think can help convince the public that the system they’re running is an extension of a political system that China has always had.
18. People look around and say, “OK, we’ve gotten rich, but look at everything we’ve lost.”
19. -successful program for china -kapag may CI sa isang university, inaoutsource ang Chinese students sa Chinese government -attempt by the Chinese government to control the discourse about China. - The Chinese insist all they are doing is promoting Chinese language and Chinese culture -University of Chicago and Pennsylvania State University, have dropped their relationship with Confucius Institutes
20. A lot of his ideas are universal and timeless. He believed that people should do the right thing because it was the right thing to do. And that trying to do the right thing would have a ripple effect through society. -When you read this positive message, you realize that Confucius has value for us today, even though he first uttered these ideas thousands of years ago. -There are things in the Bible that we don’t agree with today, like owning slaves. -But that doesn’t mean we throw it in the garbage. -We interpret it for our needs today and continue to find value in it. -That’s what we should be doing with Confucius and Confucian ideas.