Lecture 5: Confucius and Mencius Exam Preparation Notes

Midterm Information

• Date: Tuesday, April 22

• Format: Four short essay questions drawn from a list of eight questions

• Duration: 80 minutes in-class exam

• Expectations: Clear and direct answers to the questions

• Materials: Bring a large-sized blue (or green) book

• Review Session: TAs to hold a review session; announcement forthcoming

Confucius

• Basic Information:

  • Chinese philosopher, political theorist, politician, historian

  • Lived circa 551-479 BCE

  • Most influential philosopher; contributions critical to Chinese culture

  • Major work: The Analects (compiled after his death)

Historical Context

• Confucius lived during the Spring and Autumn Period (770-476 BCE), part of the Zhou dynasty

• The period notable for:

  • Weakening central government

  • Shifting power dynamics among vassal states

  • Followed by the Warring States Period

Confucian Canon

• Ten traditional works include:

  1. Classic of Filial Piety

  2. Five Great Classics:

  • Classics of Poetry

  • Great Learning

  • Book of Documents

  • Doctrine of the Mean

  • Book of Rites

  1. Analects

  2. I Ching

  3. Mencius

  4. Spring and Autumn Annals

Confucius and Politics

• Born to a middle-class family related to noble lineage of Shang Dynasty

• Lived in Lu, a secondary vassal state

• Held governmental positions; focused on stability amid social upheaval

• Han Dynasty (c. 100 BCE): Confucianism becomes the state philosophy, enduring for approximately 2000 years

Confucius and the Good Life

• Philosophy of the Good Life:

  • Achieved through living virtuously and wisely

  • True happiness comes from ethical living

  • Must feel morally innocent to attain happiness

Wisdom and Learning

• Definition of Wisdom:

  • Practical knowledge necessary for correct behavior (Analects XVI.IX)

• Importance:

  • Wisdom connects to virtue and understanding of the way (dao)

• Example from Analects:

  • The importance of duty and response to societal roles (Analects VI.XX)

Virtue

• Definition:

  • Acting rightly for its own sake, prior to personal benefit

  • Analects definition of perfect virtue reflects self-sacrifice for communal good

  • Key quote from Analects VI.XX: Focus on overcoming difficulties first

The Doctrine of the Mean

• Emphasizes balance between extremes; integral to Confucian ethics (Analects VI.XXVII)

• Offers guidance on living virtuously by avoiding excess and deficiency

Pleasure and the Good Life

• Worldly pleasures are acceptable if pursued virtuously

• Wealth and influence are permissible for the right reasons

Ethical Pleasure, Happiness, and Wisdom

• Connection of happiness and virtue shown through sayings (Analects VI.XXI)

• Reflects the idea that virtuous living leads to intrinsic rewards

Comparison with Aristotle

• Structural Similarities:

  • Virtue is central to both philosophies

  • Happiness derived from living virtuously

• Differences:

  • Confucianism focuses on community; Aristotle emphasizes individual flourishing

Mencius

• Background:

  • Fourth-generation Confucian philosopher (c. 372-289 BCE)

  • Principal work: Mencius, expands on Confucian themes

Mencius on Roles and Human Nature

• Proper Roles: Advocates mutual obligations; just rulers must care for people's needs

• Human Nature:

  • Humans inherently have compassionate instincts that can be nurtured

  • Virtue is an expression of natural social characteristics

  • Humans possess intrinsic capacities: empathy, compassion, and moral understanding

Discussion Points

• Reflect on the differences between community vs. individual flourishing in ethics

• Consider the implications of Mencius’s views on the nature of ethical behavior and virtue development

Activity

• Consider the impact of striving for various conceptions of the good life on society

• Reflect on personal happiness within those frameworks.