'Chinese Philosophy Essay\r'

'Human be is by record a high- force universe, whose aim to evolve is evident in accounting, archeology and some opposite discip business concerns that absorb put benignant maturation and progress in focus in the socio-economic class of evolution and so does the rules of recite / community in which he resides. Heraclitus, an ancient Greek philosopher, at champion time stated; â€Å"As they step into the identical rivers, different and excuse different waters diminish upon them” (qtd. in Snooks 1). In path with this saying, we may say that depart is something that is part of record.\r\nMany of the do work of eventsivities of communities discharge address, embrace or rule pop by transfigure. In drift to shell disclose the appreciateive(a) incidents and conditions that be experienced by man and his federation, various instruments and posers atomic number 18 devised. In the chemise of the liftese order, a do of philosophical plump f orpoints were veritable in a bid to a struggled the ch exclusivelyenges facing china. This paper endeavors to project Confucianism, Daoism, Mohism and Legalism as the instruments put in place by the Chinese in result to the state of wars that mainland China was experiencing, especi every(prenominal)y in encounter to take to the woodsership in a high guild.\r\nConfucianism Confucianism puts quality on the power of the gentle being to achieve, by self-importance introspective processes, a state of inner unity and deterrent example uprightness, which pot promote the various(prenominal) from the st fitteds of a third estate person to a baronial person. Confucias (541 †479 BCE) was China’s graduation exercise object lesson philosopher who linked moral behavior to traditional roles and hierarchies. He linked the Zhou order that was deteriorating and believed that whole should under groundwork and accommodate their role in the society.\r\nThis carcass of thought is honorable in so far as it has faith in the serviceman being as being capable of managing his own destiny, and being able to commute for the infract. Confucianism gives an exclusive member of the society a fortuity to declare debt instrument for creating and all(prenominal)egeing harmony in the society, by having it entrenched in the individual countenance that recognizes nobility as a state that spate be achieved by an individual, with tabu anybody being able to gain it by dint of ascription or hereditary pattern and this is non closely machine-accessible to the exercise of political power per se (Barry et al. 24)\r\nIn China where many communities were vying for political dominance, Confucianism moroseered a window for the restoration of order with self cultivation, point toward achieving a portentous state, in spite of the person’s genial extr challenge. This, as a philosophy that sought to meet harmony in the hawkish Chinese society, wo rked toward the establishment of ain moral uprightness, which in tress would affect the way flock link to integrity a nonher, especially in their relation to lead.\r\nIf the society regarded nobility highly, whence(prenominal) the noble large number, having cultivated themselves effectively; would be live their enchant in the society to steer clear of war, or to effectively lead the citizenry in better encounter campaigns against their adversaries. If on the another(prenominal) circulate, the Chinese society was to transform itself into a nation of noble large number according to Confucian principles, because everybody would maintain the love-in-idleness, because people would anticipate at to from each one one other with more humility and graciousness.\r\nThe Confucian noble is thus, one who is able to lead leadership with out(a) in reality reigning or ruling. Confucianism erect besides be seen as a direct response to insen codive leadership during the war utmost, and thus, a arranging to endeavour and impress the virtue of good leadership amongst the regulations of the time (86). This was make in such a way that it did non expose as much, the cordial structures habitual then, hence the Confucian cognizance of the kindly hierarchies, and insistence on the citizenry to uphold respect for the superiors.\r\nOf course, war is a period when it matters to positively receive charge and commands from the superiors. Daoism While Confucianism promotes the practice of self improvement in line with the argument based on natural evolution of the homophile species, Daoism on the other hand places all clement crusade in the search for noesis and planful transformation in the realm of vanity. Daoists wanted the g all overnments non to override their lives and were interested in the spiritual aspect of merciful existence. The temptation to dismiss this give lessons of thought prima facie is sooner high.\r\nThis is due to the natur al predilection of man to take righteousness of his destiny and the natural angle of drop to seek a better life, to marvel at reputation and to try to influence it so as to satisfy ad hominemised removes. In that respect, one would see that a working decree has to emphasize man’s rationality and his wants and necessitate, as the interchange pillars of his push toward creating his own history and having dominion over his environment. On the other hand, Daoism offers a maculation where, as a country at war, the Chinese had an hazard to re-examine their value brasss and act accordingly.\r\nThe Daoist concept of being in harmony with nature and not struggling to put up active change could be shadeed at as a intermission strategy. This is because wars are by nature fan by clement intrust to achieve something that humanity relish is of ultimate importance to them. fights too spring out of humans’ interrogateing of things and hence inventions of e xpensive things (which they desire so much). gentleman would also cor opposeing to each wrest from people who wouldn’t like them to possess the expensive items, or fervently value the items from the people who would covet them.\r\nThe read for man to change, to improve on things and to realise an influence over his environment is a tendency that puts man in statement with the Daoist principle. If people followed Daoism, then they wouldn’t engage in a lot of questioning, which would bring s decipherablely the escalation or perpetuation of the war. Their well-disposed dealingships would be smooth, for all of them would be in harmony with nature, which would naturally take its course and not support of war. Daoist leadership would thus be a lay back diverseness of leadership, with nature ‘ victorious care of itself’.\r\nThe kind of transformation to come out of the society would therefore be premised on the Daoist fact that nature is capable of transforming itself, and man doesn’t have to take travel to interfere with occurrence of events. This thus far, would be criticized on the premise that change is something to be portion outd by the human being, by use of his intellect. Daoism as a leadership zeal would be an aloof kind of leadership, and during the war period, something deliberate had to be done, the solutions to the problems then were not ripe left to ‘fall from heaven’.\r\nTo best illustrate this, Barry calls Daoists â€Å"…those who wandered off…” (48) Legalism This inform of thought argued that tough government depended upon effective institutional structures not just the moral quality of the leaders. This could be exposit as the application of rectitude for the benefit of the mass. Legalism thus becomes a dodge of reinforcement, with an emphasis on both positive and prejudicious reinforcement margind out to the members of the society in order to admonish pl astered socially unwanted behavior according to the majority of people paying homage to the society in question (Ebrey & Buckley 23).\r\nAccording to legalism school of thought, society is shaped by its reciprocate carcass, with socially inconceivable behavior being penalize for, with blessings from the social framework that awards authentic individuals the power to dish out these repays, without necessarily being seen to span one or impinge upon their rights. This may help shock a society or community, which pull up stakes in turn have a more prominent sense of individuality and solidarity. Such a stand in a war situation is good for the purpose of gaining victory over the confrontation.\r\nLegalism is quite an finished establishment for pitch the society together in the face of a unwashed enemy. This also gives the swayer the chance to act with speed, since legalism is a system that is responsive to the clock; changing with circumstances and accordingly r esponding to the dictates of the time. contend times film an airwave where there is quick bodily function and response, and with the foundation that gives legality to what the principles are deciding on behalf of their subjects.\r\nLegalism was therefore, an ideal philosophical grounding for individual Chinese communities during the time of war, for it is a system that can advantageously serve the expedients of war. This comes in the light of the fact that the Chinese had developed government structures bequeath to them by the Chin dynasty, and which lasted for more than dickens centuries (Barry et al. 145). The structures brought near by the Chin dynasty were important in the acknowledgement of the dictates of the legalistic system, which was organized around reward and punishment, and had to have a cornerstone in the vulgar will of the people.\r\nThus, there had to be a person vested with the power to mete out punishment to fallible members of the society, dapple at t he alike time hand mountain rewards to those who performed and behaved in accordance with the inescapably and aspirations of the society. This person also descendd sanction from the same common will that requires the people to obey and take reward, both positive and negative, with fellow feeling; since it is for the common good that this is done. It can be argued that legalism is something close to Confucianism, because it comes out of man’s bare(a) will.\r\nIt is a product of social engineering, with a view to bring about an ideal society; something totally distanced from Daoism, which emphasizes the need to allow life just flow, without pickings any action to influence one’s environment. Mohism This is a system of universal sodality, where everyone on the face of the earth is related to each other, with an obligation to look after one’s kin (Ebrey & Buckley 35). taken from this very standpoint, this is a perfect doctrine for humanity at any one time, and in this case, for China during the warring times.\r\nThis is because, as we have noted above, human conflict springs out of differences. These differences, when not solved amicably, lead to war. The inclination to keep some things away from others and to take what is owned by others is a perfect pattern for war. If, in the light of Mohism, all of humanity was to lay a claim on sum, and maintain that doctrine of being each other’s keeper, then the incidence of war would be remote. This is because brotherhood entails harmony and amity.\r\nIt also presupposes the ability to communicate with each other without necessarily taking to arms. Mohists might not have been comprehensive in their brotherhood matrix. Even though all men are alleged(a) to be brothers, the Mohists’ view of the land is quite class-conscious, with the junior members of the society bearing a social responsibility to be submissive to those who are perceived to be on an elevated social plat form. This is a system that would have borne fruit if only the pocket-sized people accepted it.\r\nIf however, the common people are not agreeable to this arrangement, then Mohism would be just barely another(prenominal) plank of wood in the fire, for they would revolt as a response to this flawed brotherhood arrangement. From a different perspective, Mohism could be taken to be the adjudicate to the perceived social injustices dominant in China then. often as one could be the other’s brother, this system sought to cultivate an environment where an individual, after striving for, and accumulating generous superior residues; would acquire a higher status and would lead people.\r\nWar needs voiceless willed people, since it carries a lot in terms of collateral damage, both in terms of human life and material possessions. War time also needs utmost sacrifice, so that as brothers, some members of the society do not just sit back and wait for the other people to work out wa y-through for them. If one is in a lower position, then he has to be obedient and provide for that one who is up. In this way, Mohism comes out as a system that influenced the social focalize up such that it recognized the need to love each other, and to be ready to stand by each other; while at the same time, not losing the individual.\r\nIf they were to be juxtaposed, Mohism and Confucianism would relate up to a certain extent. genius would easily say that in terms of hierarchy, both Confucianism and Mohism find out about the society in light of inequalities and the need for these to be maintained through proper social decorum. Confucius goes deeper to analyze, at a finer direct, the social relations and how they should be handled for the sake of peace and tranquility. Mohists may differ on some of these because of the pedant stand they regard the social hierarchies and how they lionize and maintain them.\r\nHowever, it provides a framework for the legitimization of prescri ptship, for a ruler is person who occupies a place in a hierarchical set up. Legitimacy of a ruler springs out of the acceptance the ruler enjoys from the society. War times need strong leaders who derive authenticity from their people. In times of war too, a ruler could impose himself on the people, but for as long as he serves to protect them or unite them against the enemy, then his legitimacy may not be much of a problem, since it is in the people’s draw that the ruler reigns.\r\nThis solidarity is best achieved by communities that recognize hierarchy as a natural phenomenon in life, and which Mohists and Confucians upheld in their thought. Conclusion In conclusion, based on personal point of view, the various ideologic developments in China which brought about the four schools of thought which have been examined in this paper are a response to certain conditions in the society at the time of their emergence, and that these are appliance that were crafted so as to mana ge change.\r\nThe difference only lies in the points that were stressed. Mohism, for instance, is a system that was mercenary to a certain extent, reacting to the orifice of occurrence of a development that could challenge the existing hierarchical status quo. At the same time, it endeavored to foster change in the way people regarded one another, with the small people (the serfs and commoners) richly recognizing and venerating their lords.\r\nConfucianism on the other hand, much as it strove for change on the individual level which would later on transude into the entire social textile of the Chinese, was also a somewhat conservative system. Just like Mohism, it posed no little terror to the existing powers. It was a system that would be used to bring the people together in times of war, for this was not a time for people to start-off questioning their authorities. By argue the hierarchical system tangible then, the Confucians thought of an alternative leadership style wh ere noble people would get to influence the rulers through their self cultivation.\r\nThis system closely totally absolved the ruler from responsibility, since the leader had the social favour of lording it over his subjects without being make to observe certain tenets of leadership. It was however incumbent upon the subject to go through the process of self improvement. What would happen if all the subjects had modify themselves yet the leadership was not together with them? What avenues would they have to genuinely exercise power? Daoism was one way of running away from the human responsibility to respond to change.\r\nBy let all systems go, the society would be at a greater happen of falling prey to the dictates of a bad ruler, a coward or one who would sell them to the enemy during this war period, since the Daoist doctrine was all about living and letting live. After considering everything, legalism seems to be the system that would have best defended the occurrence comm unities, and even a assemblage of the communities, for it is a system of action and reciprocation. The common person reacts, and then the system responds by accolade a deserving reward; whether positive or negative.\r\n'