THE GREEK AND CHINESE PHILOSOPHY

Philosophy comes from the Greek words [φιλοσοφία (philosophia)] which literally means “love for wisdom”.  Taking its meaning, we ask, what kind of Philosophy are we pursuing here? And for what reason?

Ancient Greek Philosophy started from the question what is the reality of all things? The Pre-socratics were divided among three groups-- the Milesians, the Rationalists, and the Pluralists. The Milesian Philosophers or Material Monists such as Thales, Anaximander and Anaximenes proposed the idea that the reality is that all things are composed of one basic element. For Thales, he presented the idea of water physis which is the idea that all things are composed of water and that the world floats in water. Anaximander, believing that  if one element would be considered the basic material of all things, it would cancel out the other three basic elements, the earth, air and fire. Therefore, Anaximander presented the idea of “apeiron” which is the unlimited wherein, for him, the four elements came from. Since it is too profound to be understood, Anaximenes presented the idea of air as the basic element of all things, stating that the air becomes fire, then water, and eventually earth through condensation and rarefication. From this, the philosophers moved out from material composition of all things into the formal ideas on the reality of all things. The Rationalists Pythagoras, Heraclitus, and Parmenides offered more than the physical but more on the intellectual concepts on reality. Pythagoras presented that things represents numbers and that there is an orderly arrangement of parts in a complex whole. Heraclitus presented his idea in metaphor with the fire which embodies stability and change. Heraclitus proposed that everything is in constant flux and that there is continuous change and that the creation of things is born out of strife. In opposition with Heraclitus’ idea, Parmenides presented the idea that there is no change; it has always been there and it is neither created nor destroyed. The Pluralists consists of Empedocles and Anaxagoras synthesized these previous philosophers’ ideas. Reality for Empedocles is composed of the Material monists idea of the four basic elements as the root of things and Heraclitus’ ideas of change making love and strife as the catalyst of change. On the other hand, Anaxagoras believed that mind controls and maneuvers the universe and that everything has a little bit of something; meaning, a thing is composed of many things. . From there, the search shifts from the reality of all things to the search for meaning. The search for an ideal pattern of living in a most humane manner. Socrates in Euthypro written by his student Plato, is in search for the meaning of justice, piety, and love. Here, we can see that the quest on being fully human isn’t the roots of Philosophy for the Greeks. Here, we can see that their philosophy did not start off in understanding their humanity but on understanding the reality that surrounds them.

On the other hand, Chinese Philosophy, as we see is based on achieving harmony. Though Chinese Philosophy has two different approaches – which is the Confucian approach and Taoist approach in achieving this harmony, we can also see that they have some commonalities. Confucian and Taoist proposals have some similarities. Their basic convergence can be mainly seen in its acknowledgment of its problem which is the absence of harmony and the proposed solution which is the development of the superior man in Confucian approach and the sage for the Taoist approach.

Since, I have not been able yet to reach the topic regarding the Taoist Proposal and have not been fully able to comprehend what we are talking about in our study on the Confucian approach, I will attempt to put in letters what I have understand in our previous lectures.

Confucius’ approach started off by acknowledging the problems which is the Absence of Social Harmony and the Non-correspondence of Names and Actualities. Absence of social harmony, in his Analects 3:24 is the non-prevalence of The Way. Confucius recognizes that the absence of social harmony was stirred by the mismatch of labels and their realities. In Analects 13:3, Confucius stated that for him, the first step towards achieving harmony will be the rectification of names for he stated that language should be in accordance with the truth. Therefore, if this could be resolved, confusion with terms and their realities will be resolved; ergo, harmony with language and its truth will be achieved. Realizing these problems, he proposed a solution to cure social discord which is the “Education of the Chun-tzu or the Noble Man.” Here, he explained the Tao or the Way, the transmission of tradition, and the capacity of man to be a chun-tzu.

Earlier in the semester, we discussed what is the Tao or the Way. The Tao is the natural pattern of things the way it should be. It is unchanging, like the northern star, it serves as a guide for the lost; it provides direction for those who are astray.  It is not just like other ways but it is the way which is right and moral, not dependent with the frills of the worldly possessions. It is not associated with worldly inclinations and conditions. The way is not something to be sacrificed for other things. It is not to be compromised nor is it to be an exchange of what material wealth could this world offer. Saying this, it does not mean to say that we disregard wealth. What it tells us is that we should not sacrifice what is right to feed our desires. The education of a chun-tzu grounds itself first in the Tao before it proceeds in educating one’s self to prevent himself from being blind in its journey.

Aside from discussing the Tao, tradition is also tackled as one of the influences in the education of a chun-tzu. Here, it is tackled that tradition can contribute in both positive and negative aspects. Positive because it could be a source of stability and negative because it could serve as a hindrance. For tradition to be called ancient, it should be passed on for at least ten generations. Therefore, being able to be transmitted from generation to generation means it may have been proven and tested ergo providing the outlook of stability. Due to this, years and years of tradition would also be a hindrance because the stability it has provided would be hard to disprove. Changing what has been practiced over many generations is tough work for it is what used to be. Overall, tradition may be considered wisdom for being able to know the past enables us to see what could be in the future.

Notwithstanding the discussion of the Tao and tradition, we also discussed man’s capacity to educate one’s self. In Analects 17:24 Confucius said that men are born alike, it is in their practice that they have differed.  Men are born with innate goodness; it is in their ways that they have varied. Saying that man is born with the capacity means to say that man is capable. The capacity to be wise and knowledgeable is there but with lack of training and practice, the wisdom and knowledge that is there, decreases. Meanwhile, with practice, hard work and effort, one may be able to achieve what is due for him. In stating this, Confucius presents to us that we are all capable of developing something that is innate to us such as knowledge. Combining the three, the Tao as a direction, tradition as a reference and capacity, one could be a chun-tzu and be a part of the attainment of the Social Harmony.

Connecting all of this, I conclude that Chinese Philosophy is in a way different from Greek Philosophy. Though they both are in search for the ultimate truth and wisdom, they differ in its theme. Greek Philosophy started off in the composition of reality and eventually shifted into man’s search for meaning, theirs (search for meaning) provides patterns in living an ideal humane way of life, they did not require that these ideal patterns that they have been searching for, be lived and practiced. They only present ideal ideas for men to ponder upon and think over whether they want to live according to it or not. However, Chinese Philosophy, in seeing its two different approaches and content gives us an indication that their philosophy is concern with ethics, politics and self-development into a chun-tzu. Their philosophy is involved more than just knowing the meaning of things and formulating an ideal pattern in their way of living.  It is in practicing what they have learned and putting into action what they know that they could then call themselves wise. In Chinese Philosophy, it is not enough that they study, know and put it in their mind but it is in their studying, knowing, putting it in action and into their hearts that they could say that they have learned. In Chinese philosophy, it is important to cultivate one’s self into a chun-tzu and then extending it to one’s family and into the bigger family which is the society towards the achievement of Social Harmony. It is in being a person for others, in living in the most humane way possible that they could call themselves a Noble Man. This, for Chinese philosophy, is the truth.