THE REAL SENSE

● 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.

 In one traditional Confucian view, jenhas two aspects: loyalty and reciprocity. Loyalty is considered a commitment to the Way, while reciprocity means “not inflicting on others that which you do not want yourself.” An alternative view is that jenis the perfect combination of a much longer list of virtues, including loyalty, reciprocity, wisdom, courage, righteousness, filial piety, and faithfulness. Wisdom has several aspects, including being a good judge of the character of others.

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.