● Ways of solving social problem.
CONFUCIANISM
Confucianism advocates reforming
government, so that it works for the benefit of the people, and cultivating
virtue, especially in government officials. It encourages respect for elders
and legitimate authority figures, for traditional beliefs, for ritual
practices, for education, and for close family bonds.
Confucianism began in China, but it spread from there to Korea, Japan, and
Vietnam.
Confucius was guided by humanistic social philosophy, which means and is
seen in-- First, it is about human beings and their society rather than about
nature or knowledge of nature. Confucius
said: “Yu, shall I teach you what knowledge is? When you know a thing, say that
you know it; when you do not know a thing, admit that you do not know it. That
is knowledge.” [II: 17], with this it means that the one that is given
importance is human beings and not about the nature he lives in. Second, He
regarded the human community as the source of human and social values. With
this conviction his philosophy was thought as a kind of social humanism.
Courage is lack of fear in doing what is right. Righteousness is doing
what is appropriate for one’s role, as father, son, teacher, or student, for
example. Filial piety is acting out of love and respect for one’s parents.
Faithfulness includes honesty in word, but also involves not being glib.
TAOISM
Lao Tzu believes that bad rulers is responsible for poverty and
starvation, greed and materialism caused wars and killings, and desires for
wealth, power, and glory were bringing about destruction of society. According to Taoist thought,
human beings are an integral part of the universe and, by nature, are in
harmony with its operations. Unfortunately, they have fallen from this
condition into self-assertive, aggressive, competitive actions that lie outside
the natural harmony of all things. Thus, the ills of the world are produced.
People perform inconsiderate and harmful acts toward their neighbors. As they
organize into societies, through turbulent competition a few grow wealthy and
many are forced into poverty.
The only true solution,
in the Taoist view, must begin with the individual’s conscious refusal to
participate in the turbulent, aggressive, and assertive ways of life.Taoists who become leaders
leave their people free, so each one can fulfill his or her individual nature.
The highest social organization desired by Taoists was a small state containing
isolated and independent villages of free individuals who would not compete
with other villages or states for land or trade and who would thus not feel the
need for war.
The Taoists felt that by being relatively inactive and
humble, like the Tao, the individual will be most truly active and in control,
as the Tao is. The calm contemplative life led by believers sometimes included
meditation that led to a mystical experience of union with the Dao. Taoist
sages often withdrew to lonely mountain retreats for more solitary
contemplation.
● Comparison
Taoism
and Confucianism have their own response to the weakening social conditions of
the period. It’s just that, Confucianism emphasizes that the moral goodness of
human beings as the key to happiness and the complex and well developed life is
taken to be the ideal. Confucius advocated rites and music so that the desires
and emotions might be developed and regulated for the development of jen.
In
Confucianism, human beings and nature are two different things and goodness and
well-being are considered leading to humanity rather than nature. Confucius did
not rely on deductive reasoning to convince his listeners. Instead, he used
figures of rhetoric such as analogy and aphorism to explain his ideas. Most of
the time these techniques were highly contextualized. For these reasons,
European and American readers might find his philosophy muddled or unclear.
However, Confucius claimed that he sought "a unity all pervading"
(Analects XV, 3) and that there was "one single thread binding my way
together." ([op. cit. IV, 15]). The first occurrences of a real Confucian
system may have been created by his disciples or by their disciples.
While
the Taoists stresses on the harmony, unity and perfection of nature, to find
peace and contentment, people must follow the way of nature and becoming one
with this way. Lao Tzu advocated
letting things work on their own allows transformation.According to Taoism, the
basis of humanity is not of our own making but is contained in the critical and
negative aspects.
● Stand
In my own opinion, both really seeks
answer for the betterment of the society, but I also believe that Confucianism
is better than the other in a way that the harmony and interrelatedness must
came from the people to be parted to the people also. There must be a law to be
followed to have an organized society. Though, it has been said that a leader
must also be a good follower of what his law and view all about, I must say
that it is really hard to rule people by just letting them follow and not
letting them know the reasons behind. By thinking of what is good being
imparted to others, basically it will not hurt them. With the help of the
cultivation of the jen which was the LI, HSIAO and YI, it can then lead to a virtuous life and support humanity.
I must say that Taoism really made
sense in the purpose of knowledge that leads a person to a unity with the
others and the universe. They
try always to do only as much as their natural impulse requires, never
straining for further achievement. They relate to other people in a spirit of
natural kindness, tolerance, and humility, never striving to dominate them. As
Lao Tzu believes that governing as little as possible and with the natural
flow, there is a tendency that maybe realization will be too late because in
adhering to the natural flow the fact of having a straight path is disregarded
for the reason that the focused and rationalization is only on—“there will come
a time realization will brought a person back to the reality.”
Then questions will follow like—if
bad habits, reasons, and doings can be disrupted why is there a need to come to
a point of waiting to realize something? Is it really possible to always
believe that “time will come for realization” when time can’t wait anymore?
It can’t be denied that both
philosophy made an impact, in the end it’s up to the people how they react and
reflect these philosophy to their lives to be a better person.
