Confucius One of the Most

Confucius

One of the most interesting discoveries in academic study is Chinese philosophy, and specifically the teachings and ideas of Confucius. He was a thinker, political figure, and educator, and recognized as the founder of what is known today as "Confucianism." Many still follow the ideals of Confucianism, with some adherents going as far as considering it a type of religion. Confucius organized a specific set of ethical ideals around several sets of human relationships. His morality was based upon these relationship sets. This provides a starting point for further discovery and thought on Confucius and his ideals. So important is this philosopher to Chinese history, that his influence has been compared to that of Socrates in the Western world (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy).

Confucius lived during 551-479 BCE. Being shrouded in ancient history, much of the philosopher's life is also subject to speculation, legend, and a basic lack of empiricism. Two examples of this include questions surrounding Confucius' royal status, and the exaggeration of his lifestyle as the truly ideal person. According to some scholars, for example, Book X of the Analects was originally a general guideline for ideal living, within which Confucius' name was superimposed by subsequent disciples (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy). This is interesting in terms of the effects of time upon what is regarded as "truth." All religious directions have elements of uncertainty, myth, and legend. This aspect of Confucianism places it into adequate context in comparison with other currents of thought, whether Western or Eastern.

Another interesting discovery is what the Stanford Encyclopedia refers to as Confucius' "claim" of his status as "transmitter" rather than "maker." In other words, Confucius, according to this report, regarded himself as a vehicle for existing thought rather than a creator of new philosophical directions. According to the author, Confucius relied on existing ancient philosophies to organize his own though ideals. While the Encyclopedia appears to present an image of Confucius as a promoter of himself as a "special" vehicle for the message of the ancients, Jeffrey Hays explicates this in more rational terms. According to Hays, Confucius gave structure to already existing ideas and wisdom that were created in times that were more ancient than his own. Confucianism, in other words, provided structure to various sets of ideals existing at the time. Central to this structure was compassion in human relationships.

According to the Religious Tolerance Website, social harmony was achieved by means of regulating human relationships upon the basis of compassion. Most interesting in these terms is the political aspect of such relationships. Confucius held that internalized human behavior was a better regulator of the law than punishment and laws that citizens do not fully understand. In this way, the philosopher believed that an understanding of the reasons behind compassionate behavior was a better political tool than the law itself. This is a very idealistic view, but perhaps somewhat unrealistic when today's paradigms are taken into account. Human behavior is simply not based upon compassion; particularly in Western society. Furthermore, there is a profusion of belief systems and philosophies in existence today. Requiring an entire society to adhere to a single belief system is quite unrealistic. Requiring obedience to practical laws and regulations is therefore a far more realistic option for regulating society.