Synthesis Paper 5

What is Philosophy as demonstrated in Ancient Chinese Philosophy by Confucius in the way he specifies the solution to the Philosophical problem?

To come up to the answer on what is the philosophy by Confucius in the way he specifies the solution to the philosophical problem, we must first one by one explain or briefly discuss each solution. First solution is the Family as basic social unit. Family is basic social unit because different family creates a society. Peace and harmony cannot be promoted in a society when there is no peace and harmony in family first. How can one implement harmony to everyone if he/she himself does not have in his family. There is a saying “Charity begins at home”. One cannot give charity when charity is not implemented or practiced at home. Family molds its member first before one of its members can mold another into good. Second is the State as big family.

State as a big family means biological family is no different from a big state. You treat the state as if you are treating your family. When one is ruler of the state, he/she must rule the state and implement laws as if he/she is implementing it to his/her family. He/she must take care of the state as if he/she is taking care of his family.  If one is ruling the state and the one who rules it, takes care of the people that under him/her, in return people will give their loyalty.

 Third is the Regulation by Virtue, Not Law or Force. One must regulate his people with virtue because if people is regulated with virtue, people will not do things which will harm someone or the community because they knew themselves that the things that they will do is bad or is not good for everyone. If the people is regulated by virtue there will be the feeling of being ashamed because they know that what they will do bad, will make the people look at them in a shameful way and they will feel ashamed. If the people are regulated by force, people will follow the rules because they will fear that they will be hurt or punished when they will not follow the rules but when people are regulated by virtue, they will do the right things because they know that what they should do is always right. When things are regulated by virtue, things will run or flow according to what is right. 

And the last one is Chun Tzu as Philosopher King. A Philosopher king is like a North Star because North Star is the reference and fixed. If you are a king, you must be a role model and if you are a role model, you are to be modeled by some, and if you are modeled by someone, you should do what is right and what is good for the people to do what you are doing. A Philosopher king is fixed like the North Star and when he is fixed, everyone can rely on him. If people in the community is lost and don’t do what to do. People usually look for someone as a reference, and if there is someone they can refer, like the philosopher king, people can know what to do. A leader like the philosopher king can inspire others to do something good. If a leader is full of virtue and people see that their leader is full of virtue and practices it, people will emulate what their leader is doing and there will be social harmony in the society. When all have virtue in them, all will do what is right and doing what is right means not hurting or harming someone, and if there is no harming, there comes the harmony to each and everyone. As we discussed each solution to the philosophical problem, we come up to the one answer. All the solution to the philosophical problems have similarity and their similarity is the moral teaching, therefore the philosophy as demonstrated in Ancient Chinese Philosophy by Confucius in the way he specifies the solution to the philosophical problem is Moral Philosophy.