What is “human nature” for Confucius? What evidence does he give to show that his views about human nature are correct?

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You will synthesize a wider array of passages to provide an exposition of Confucius views. Remember you are to explain, not evaluate.

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Tutor Comment:

George: this would be a very nice summary of the ideas of Confucius, but again, it is not an exposition of the text. Once more, you need to show that and how you have read the text, by providing quotations and explanations of passages. You need to refer to the text itself (page numbers etc.) There are places where you get off track. Be sure in the future to keep the topic clear and relate every concept you attend to back to the central theme.

Topic:
What is “human nature” for Confucius? What evidence does he give to show that

his views about human nature are correct?

Introduction

Confucius, also known as, Kong Zi, Zhong Ni or Kong Qiu was a wise philosopher and one of the most famous people in ancient China. He was a social philosopher and thinker whose teachings and philosophy have been of great impact to Korean, Japanese, Vietnamese and Chinese way of life. His teachings emphasized justice, correctness of social relationships, the morality of government and sincerity. A system of philosophy known as Confucianism has been developed from his thoughts. Doctrines such as Taoism or legalism during the Han Dynasty (206 BCE-220 CE) used Confucius’s values. He started a career as a teacher after his mother died, where he would travel about and instruct a small group of disciples that had gathered. He touched on issues like lack of moral standards and contemporary disorder in a time when feudalism had spread in China and vice and intrigue was widespread. To him his belief was that the one solution to that problem was to convert the people to go back to the principles and precepts of the sages of antiquity. He therefore taught his students on ancient classics. His theories and principles spread throughout China by his loyal disciples. The concept of time and its movement was one concept he regarded as being of great importance (Richey, 2005). Comment by Bruce Morito: Again, avoid this biographical material in assignments that ask specific questions.
The view of human nature according to Confucius was that through an individual’s personal and communal effort, he or she was improvable, teachable and perfectible especially with self-creation and self-cultivation. He emphasized on the development and cultivation of virtue and moral perfection. According to him, from an underlying attitude of humaneness, ritual and filial piety were the ways one should act toward others. His concept of humaneness was expressed in the Golden rule that stated that one should not do to others what they would not have them do to them or the Confucian version of the ethic of reciprocity. Confucius must have believed that all men were born with intrinsic similarities because according to him: “By nature men are similar; by practice men are wide apart” (Richey, 2005). Comment by Bruce Morito: You need to work on the primary texts and not rely on secondary sources.
RenJen, which was a term used to refer to the expression of Confucian concepts. It can also be termed as the concept of humaneness. It includes the concept of treating others the same way you would want to be treated. Also includes the traits that are part of being like li, meaning participation in everyday rituals, ching, meaning seriousness, hsin, meaning a person’s actions should compliment his words and yi which means action that is right. These qualities turn one into a ‘Chun Tzu’ meaning a superior man. According to Confucius, this meaning applied to a morally superior man. ‘Chun Tzu’ also meant a man of superior rank in the government, a way to apply this to Confucius would be that according to him morally superior human beings should run the government. Individuals could solely put their effort in the welfare of the people they govern. This is where the political dimension of ren comes in. Confucianism argues that if a leader lacks ren, his subjects will find it hard to behave humanely. The political dimension of ren brings in the Confucian political theory that states that an inhumane leader risks losing the right to rule, losing such would mean that that particular leader does not need to be obeyed by his subjects (Richey, 2005). Comment by Bruce Morito: Good to mention these ideas; you now need to explain them and relate them to the explanation of human nature. Best, I think, is to explain how they relate to the perfectability of human beings. You are getting a little side-tracked by focusing on leadership.
The purpose of a human being’s existence is to hit his or her highest potential as a human being. Becoming a “perfected” person may be possible but only through a committed process of educating oneself, which lasts over a lifetime. One source of Confucians’ motivation was his belief in Tian, (heaven) as over-ruling human efforts. He had an intimate trust in heaven. This belief in Tian, (heaven), is proof of his emphasis on political, moral, and social activism. His practical way of putting these concepts into practice was by being cautious about one’s hearing, sight, speech and action for instance, not looking, speaking, listening or doing whatever is contrary to ritual appropriateness (Waley, n.d).
According to Confucianism, two types of human natures or persons exists that are in opposition with each other in terms of developed potential. These are the junzi, meaning the person who always displays the quality of ren (co-humanity) and yi (righteousness) in his deeds. The opposing human nature is xiaoren meaning a small person who lacks virtues and is only concerned with what profits him.
Confucius teachings can roughly be divided into basic course and specialized course. Basic course was rite, shooting, history, carriage driving, music and arithmetic. Rite representing moral education, history and arithmetic representing intellectual education, music representing aesthetic education and finally shooting and carriage driving representing physical education. His students took up overall teaching and studying from their teacher. His relationship with his students/ disciples was a close one, with respect, equality and friendly emotion, which provided an adequate foundation for his humanity principle (Richey, 2005).
A fact that shows his view about human nature to be correct is one his concepts about a human beings devotion to humanity should be in such a way that he would not be willing to live at the expense of injuring humanity and that one should be willing to even sacrifice their lives to preserve humanity. With this principle as a motivator, scores of Chinese men and women get through many adversities in sacrifice of their country. It united the Chinese as a whole through war and hardships. Comment by Bruce Morito: This describes more of a moral imperitive rather than a theory of human nature. You are getting a bit off-track.
The fact that Confucius’ private school provided equal education to everyone was unheard of then in the history of mankind despite the inequality that existed then not forgetting the caste system. He did this based on his principle on humanity that stated that instruction recognized no castes and that if one wanted to stand up in the world, then one should help others do the same. That is treating others the way one would want to be treated.
His stand on human nature is also proved correct because he made an admission from the medical field and physiology to explain changes in behavior in three phases of life. Concerning that, he went explained that before a gentleman’s pulse has settled, he should avoid falling into the temptation, which is lust, when his pulse becomes strong, he should avoid falling into the temptation that is strife. Finally, when his pulse declines he should avoid the temptation that is avarice. Coining in these different fields was genius. To date this theory was approved universally as an efficient Chinese theory and went on to be viewed as common sense in the entire society (Richey, 2005). Comment by Bruce Morito: Agai, moving into what human beings should do, not what they.

Conclusion

In conclusion, one evident fact about Confucianism’s view of human nature is that it is a highly positive view. The fact that human beings can reach their full potential toward becoming ‘perfected’ individuals through educating oneself through one’s lifetime shows this to be quite true. His view on humanity was practical and his life was a perfect example on the reality of his teachings and principles. He supported equality and unity which is evident in his principles. He divided human nature into two personalities, the xiaoren meaning the petty man who was self-centered and took up everything based on self-interest. In addition, the junzi meaning the gentleman who understands what is right and dignified became the moral principle of social development. Confucius’ principles made it possible for china to be referred to as the nation of humanity and justice. His view on human nature became a pillar not only for social development but also as a philosophy of life in general.

References

Richey, J. (2005). Confucius (551—479 BCE). Retrieved 4th December 2010, from IEP
Waley, A. (n.d). The Analects of Confucius. (Confucius, Trans.). New York, NY: Vintage Books. (Original work published 2008).

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What is human nature for Confucius? What evidence does he give to show that his views about human nature are correct?
Abstract

Confucius was a humble man from a humble beginning and during his lifetime he became so very influential that his teachings motivated not only the way of life of many people up to date but also religion and philosophy. From his sayings in the Analects book and discussions, a philosophy, political system and a social system was developed and it was based on merit, tolerance and harmony. According to the Chinese tradition this man, Confucius was a great thinker, an educator, a political figure, his teachings are preserved in the Analects or the Lunyu, which forms the foundation of much of the successive Chinese assumption on the education and behavior of an ideal man and how such a person should live his life and relate with others and also the form of society and regime in which he should participate in. One of the great authorities in the 20th century called Fung Yu Ian on the history of Chinese thought compared the influence of Confucius in the Chinese history with one of the Socrates in the West. This great man was born in answer to his parents’ prayers on a sacred hill called Ni. His surname which is Kong literally means thankfulness to answered prayers
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Human nature was not distinctly and clearly supplied according to Confucius view on that subject in the Analects, even one of his disciples complained of not being able to know or hear his view on the subject of human nature. This can be found in the book Analects (IV: 13) TsZe Kung says “The masters personal display of his ordinary descriptions and principles of them may be heard; his discourses about the way of heaven and human nature cannot be heard.” Confucius
classified people as to them belonging to three groups and this is written in two passages of the Analects, this included the Lower, Middle and upper class group, although this classification was prepared according to a man’s learning ability it did not have anything at all to do with man’s common nature. Another passage directly expressed Confucius opinion, in Analects (XVII: 2) the master said that men are close to each other by nature and they diverge because of repeated practice, in this passage we can see that Confucius acknowledged that a common human nature did exist
. Confucius had human nature in mind more than goodness though many scholars readily connect it with goodness as being common
. Confucius describes the excellent effect of a virtuous man in politics, in Analects (II: 1) “master said that he who is exercising government by the means of virtue can be compared to north polar star which maintains its place and then all the stars revolve towards it.” He also says in Analects (XV: 5) that if there was a ruler who achieves order with devoid of any action it perhaps was Shun. He was to hold himself in a respectable pose and to face the south; otherwise there was nothing for him to do. In Analects (XII: 19) Confucius says that “one should desire the good and the common people will be good, a small mans’ virtue is like grass and a gentleman’s virtue is like wind, let the wind to waft over the grass and it will surely bend.” The three passages above would not be meaningful if this were not tending in the direction of goodness or if there was no common human nature; this means that for Confucius, the highest political principle required that a ruler should be the most virtuous because human nature was believed to be in line with virtue.
Confucius views goodness as the sort of foundation that brings about truthfulness and to resolve, moral power, to act with integrity, His view on social philosophy that people live their lives within certain parameters which are established by Heaven and he continues to argue that men are accountable for their actions and their treatment towards others, he says that we can do nothing at all or very little to alter our span of existence but decide on what we are remembered for and what we accomplish at the end of this life. He
represented his teachings as education transmitted from the ancient times, he claims that he is not a maker but a transmitter and he does reflected on the love and reliance of the ancients. Analects (VII: 1) scholars have come across the opposition between what they believe to be his disbelief with the regards to the existence of spirits and his reverence for heaven. In Analects (III: 12 and VI: 20) shows that he was not skeptical about this rather it shows that he was respectful and reverend to the spirits, it says that, he taught that to serve the spirits was a more complicated and difficult matter than the serving or mere mortals. In the Analects, Confucius talks about the concept of ‘ren’ meaning compassion or love towards others, Analects (I: 3) “fine words and insinuating appearance are seldom with true virtue” he says that those who have cultivated ‘ren’ on the other hand are slow in speech and simple in manner, Analects (13:27), Confucius view was that the Golden rule was practiced by others in that you should do to others what you expect them to do unto you. Analects (VI: 30) where he regards the loyalty to ones parents and his older siblings as one of the basic form to promote the wellbeing of others before your own and this can be accomplished by one who has learned self discipline. In Analects (XII: 1) do not listen to anything in defiance of ritual, do not look at anything in defiance of ritual, do not speak of anything in defiance and also never stir a hand or foot in defiance of ritual. One learning of self restraint involve the studying and the mastering of the ritual rules and the forms of property in which one expresses the respect for his superiors and enacts his role in the society he lives in a manner that he is worthy of admiration and respect
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Confucius view of human nature through political philosophy is that he believed in rulers having to learn self discipline and should administer his subjects through his own example and should treat them with lots of love and concern. Analects (II: 3) mentions that “if people are to be led by laws and equality among them be sought by punishment for they will get away from punishment and shall have no sense of shame and if led by virtue and equality is sought amid them through the practice of ritual propriety they will posses shame and will come to you of their own agreement.” What was really troubling Confucius was that his view of the political institution of his time had entirely gone down. Confucius attributes this failure to the fact that those who wield power as well as the ones who occupy subordinate positions did so by alleging to titles that they were not worthy of. “Good governance and administration consist in the ruler being the ruler that he is ought to be and the father being a father and the minister being a minister Analects (XII: 11). For him what superior leadership characterized was one possessing virtue, Confucius says that he who governs the means of virtue is to resemble the polestar, meaning that it remains at its place while the rest of the lesser stars worship it. Analects (II: 1). Cultivating and maintaining such a royal virtue was to practice and to enact rituals
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Confucius view on human nature in education was a hallmark of his thoughts and emphasis on education, those who have trust in the natural understanding; he disparages them and argues that one can only and really understand a subject by a careful and a long study of that subject, Analects (VII: 22) says that a good teacher is one who is older and also familiar with the ways if the past and the ancient practices and he also warns against excess meditation and reflection. He is prepared to teach anyone no matter what their social standing is as long as the student is tireless and eager to learn, he is credited by tradition for having taught three thousand students but seventy of those students are the ones who are said to have mastered his cherished arts, he taught government, refined arts, morality and proper speech. He also emphasized on the six arts, which included music, ritual, calligraphy, computation, archery and chariot-riding.
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References
The Analects of Confucius: Translated and Annotated by Arthur Waley
�Again, this biographical material is not needed for this sort of essay. You should be stating right away what you think C’s theory about human nature is.

�This use of quotes is exactly what you need to do. But now what you need to do is explain why you still think it is worthwhile to examine C’s view of human nature, since it seems futile now to do so. What you could say is that C’s views of the types of people there are presuppose or assumes a theory of human nature. You will extract his theory, then, from these views.

�Careful, the only thing that this passage implies is that human nature is pliable, malleable.

�This is very good, but you have not set it up very well. This focus on the good comes out of the blue. You need to prepare the reader for the surprise. Something like, “But is the view that Confucius had no theory of human nature really correct? Consider the following passages.”

�Again, this comment on C’s reference to the Ancients comes out of the blue and is jarring.

�Fine. But now you need to connect this back to human nature. This material is typically understood as a reflection of Confucius’ commitment to the Ancients and their authority, not to a theory of human nature as pursuing the Good. So, some more work needs to be done to show this attention to ren etc. is actually a demonstration of C’s theory of human nature.

�Again. How does this material relate to human nature?

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