Life Lessons from Confucius

Category: Life Lesson, Morality
Last Updated: 26 Jan 2021
Pages: 2 Views: 712

Reciprocity means "empathy and forgiveness" (Hunter 2017:316). So in the Confucian custom, you would look out for others rather than yourself; you would take the other person's need first. In either case, it is about the needs and wants of humans. The constructive way – the golden rule – will underscore what sort of individual we are.

In any case, the issue for each individual is different. For instance, on the off chance that I am a greedy individual I need more from others. This would be the issue presented by the golden rule, or know as a positive way. The negative formulation demands us to" not impose on others what you yourself do not want or what you do not want done to yourself, do not do to others" (Bonevac 1955:15.23; 5.11; 12.2).

The general principles of conduct are an inherent piece of Li and its importance, and Confucius underlines that moral initiatives will dependably exceed historical knowledge. Great behavior and acting in a way that is guided by fairness and morals are qualities of a refined man.

Order custom essay Life Lessons from Confucius with free plagiarism report

feat icon 450+ experts on 30 subjects feat icon Starting from 3 hours delivery
Get Essay Help

Moreover, a suitable disposition is a fundamental piece of the role of the gentleman, including adoration for one's seniors, and regard for rituals and cultural traditions passed on through several generations. Li, or ritual, is one of the central ideas presented. Here, moral initiatives exceed historical knowledge. At the end of the day, practicing what we may call good behavior and acting in a good and reasonable are viewed as characteristics for a honorable man.

A person who shows ren embodies the idea of what a gentleman should be and asks others to attempt toward it. The idea of ren has been deciphered in various ways. Every interpretation consist of similar thoughts: every individual can have ren, and ren demonstrates to itself when a temperate individual treats others with humanness. One could express that inside the Confucian viewpoint, ren will be ren:"exemplifying the virtue of humaneness necessitates that one become a morally developed individual" (Hunter 2017:316).

Master Kong, generally called "Confucius," was keen on the advancement of character. The principle to that was the concept of reciprocity, "never impose on others what you would not choose for yourself" (Bonevac 1955:15.23; 5.11; 12.2). Regardless that this statement is normative, it conflicts with "same size for all" normative rule, in that it doesn't pronounce that you should treat others as they want to be treated.

Every individual needs to be treated in different ways, "this honors the normative code of the person by setting it above society" (Hunter 2017:315). For instance, one individual may advocate for sex inside marriage while another for polyamory, or various sexual relationships. Who is right? Typically ethical laws regarding sex are controlled by society for its own ends; the utilization of Master Kong's standard would deliver diverse outcomes for various people and distinctive connections, independent of the values of others or society.

Cite this Page

Life Lessons from Confucius. (2019, Sep 26). Retrieved from https://phdessay.com/life-lessons-from-confucius/

Don't let plagiarism ruin your grade

Run a free check or have your essay done for you

plagiarism ruin image

We use cookies to give you the best experience possible. By continuing we’ll assume you’re on board with our cookie policy

Save time and let our verified experts help you.

Hire writer