HY9203 Chinese Philosophy (4) Confucius-Humanism

PARK So Jeong

Wed, 5 Feb 2014

9:30am~12:30pm@S4-SR15

Overview

Laozi continued

Reflection on Language

Wuwei and Ziran

Confucius, the Analects

Ren, Benevolence

Li, Ritual

Debates Assignment and Procedure

Reflection on language in the Laozi

Ineffability of Dao

Language skepticism

Skeptical about language as a truth-carrier but not about Dao

Opposites and the limits of language

Meta-ethical statement

Revisit Ch 1 of the Laozi

[ ] (Dao/Way/Great/Mystery/Something confused yet perfect/Mother of Heaven and Earth to be named) is not spoken of

Naming/the named cant always convey the proper meaning Naming [ ] and/or things

Nameless beginning of Heaven and earth

Named Mother of the myriad creatures Interplay of opposites

Revisit Ch 2 of the Laozi

The reason why Wuwei, non-action and no-word-teaching are required, is because the limits of language

Wuwei does not simply mean doing nothing but rather doing nothing absolute/fixed

Language hides the flipside of reality

Even beauty or good

Language as limited tool

Straightforward words seem paradoxical Ch78 No fixed usage of any terms in the Laozi

Get the meaning of a word from the context

Observe what the remarks is aiming at

The gap between literal reading and meaning of Laozis words Non-action, no-desire, no-knowledge, and etc.

Stupidity/Brightness, Soft-supple/Strong-mighty

The Origin of zrn

Unlike other terms such as Dao, De, Qi zrn seems to be firstly coined in the Laozi.

Not exactly fit to nature:

1) zrn from zi (self) + ran (so, such)

2) tin (, heaven) or xng (, disposition) is also rendered into nature

Old characters of z and rn

Nature, zrn

Zrn describes the way/course of Dao which is distinguished from the conventional way of human-being

The Way models itself on what is natural ch5

After their task is completed with the greatest rulers shadowy presence, their people all say this is just how we are (Our ziran) ch17

Nature, Self-so, Spontaneity, As it is

Different translations of zrn Chapter 17

Nevertheless their people say that they simply follow Nature. (Chan)

Their people all say, This is just how we are. (Ivanhoe)

And the people declare: it happens to us self-so (Moeller)

the people say, Amazing: we did it, all by ourselves! (Mitchell)

And the hundred clans all say: We are just being natural. (LaFargue)

Non-action, wwi

Non-action should be pursued and achieved, that is to say, not mean just doing nothing In the pursuit of the Way, one does less each day.

One does less and less until one does nothing (wuwei). One does nothing yet nothing is left undone. Ch 48

Wuwei is always engaged in a certain action or a consequence of it.

Neither mere action nor literal not-action but a guidance on each situation between the opposites.

Confucius, A Great Teacher

The founder of the private academy and Confucian school

The Analects (lny, , selected conversation) is not a systematic writing but a record of dialogues between Confucius and his students.

Confucian philosophy offers a complex, realistic picture of self-in-community Lai p.32

Confucius turn to humanism

A person cannot flock together with the birds and the beasts. If I do not seek to follow this person or the other, who then would I follow?

Confucius response to hermit scholars comment on him, better to follow a scholar who flees from the age itself the Analects 18.6

Confucius substituted Ritual ethics for Dao metaphysics.

Benevolence, Rn (jen in WG)

Benevolence as moral emotion

Humaneness as person-making Rn andrn (human) are homophonous

The origin of rn is a kind of virtue such as manly quality. Rn gradually came to refer to love, compassion, and benevolent attitude and finally expanded into humanity in general by Confucius.

[Above] Rn in Bamboo slips = body + mind/heart [Below] Rn in Han dynasty 1 two people 2 phonetic+semantic 3 corpse+two

Ritual, L

Through meticulous researches in Zhou ritual system which had spiritual, educational and governing function, Confucius reached the concept of ritual propriety which can sustain a society.

Ritual does not merely reside in behavioral performance When we say, the rites, the rites are we speaking

merely of jade and silk? When we say, music, music, are we speaking merely of bells and drums? the Analects 17.11

Benevolence and Ritual

Deep connection between rn and l .

Most comprehensive accounts of rn: Restraining yourself and returning to the

rites(12.1);

When in public, comport yourself as if you were receiving an important guest; in your management of the people, behave as if you were overseeing a great sacrifice. Do not impose upon others what you yourself do not desire.

Debate Role and Assignment

1. Every student will form a team of two people. 2. Each team will play the role of Debater once and either

Judge or Monitor once.

3. Each Debate team should prepare a one-page hand-out from reliable sources.

4. The Debate team should justify and defend its position against the opposite team.

5. The Judge team in each session is to provide comments and evaluations to two Debater teams at the end of the session after careful observation of the debate.

6. The Monitor team in each session is in charge of controlling time and moderating the debate process. They can also make comments and suggestions within the given time.

Debate Procedure and Assigned Time

1) Opening statement of debater-one of position A: 3 mins 2) Opening statement of debater-one of position B: 3 mins 3) Supportive argument of debater-two of position A: 3 mins 4) Supportive argument of debater-two of position B: 3 mins (12mins.) 5) Questions from position A to B 1 min 6) Answers of position B 2 mins 7) Questions from position B to A 1 min 8) Answers of position A 2 mins (+6mins. = 18mins.) 9) Free debates between the two teams 2 mins 10) Open discussion for whole class 5~10 mins * At Monitor teams discretion (+7~12mins. = 25~30mins.) 11) Judge teams evaluation of the debate 3 mins 12) Monitor teams comments and conclusion 2 mins (+5mins = 30~35mins.)

Next Session Wed, 12 Feb, 2014

Confucius continued

he Daodejing

Human and Nature

Mozi and Emergence of Philosophy

Cosmogony/cosmology in early China

Metaphysical

The 1st Debate: Laozi and Confucius on Virtue