Comparison of Plato and Confucius and their Contemporary Relevance - Essay Example

Comparison of Plato and Confucius and their Contemporary Relevance Section Number on which submitted Word Count: 1717 Comparison of Plato and Confucius and their Contemporary Relevance Plato and Confucius are two of the world’s most important philosophers. They were both part of ancient civilizations. They however, represent the thought of two very different civilizations-the Greek and the Chinese. They are thus, often set in opposition as they are seen as representatives of the east and the west in terms of the philosophies that they propounded. This opposition is important as they can be contrasted to see the differences in the worldviews that were held in these civilizations at that point of time. Both these philosophers offered different viewpoints to the existing ones and they served to challenge the existing hierarchies in certain ways. They were however, used later on, to enforce the hierarchies that were practised by the state. Thus, even though they are separated by a great geographical and cultural distance the two works do exhibit certain similarities that place them together as two of the most important philosophical treatises to have come out of the ancient world. This paper shall seek to compare and contrast the works of both these philosophers and analyse their contemporary relevance. The paper shall also seek to analyse the different emphases of the two authors and how the ideas that the two philosophers talk of is relevant even for the people of today. This, the paper shall argue is the main reason for the timeless appeal that is a characteristic of both the works of philosophy. The paper shall look at the Apology, Crito and Gorgias by Plato and the Analects of Confucius for a discussion of the views of the two philosophers. Plato placed great emphasis on the life of the human being as an individual. He sought the development of the individual. He did not propose the development of the individual at the expense of the state. He however, did propose a certain degree of independence as far as mental activity is concerned when it came to the individual and the state. This can be seen in his mockery of the apparatus of the state when it came to his trial. These events are talked of at great length in Plato’s Apology. In this tract, he laments the lack of individual freedom that is provided by the state to its citizens. Such a lack of freedom would result in the intellectual stagnation of the people. This is what had happened to people of Athens, according to Socrates. They had become used to the ways of Athenian society and were reluctant to change themselves. The people had forgotten to question traditions. Such questioning was what would lead to a better society and better individuals, according to Socrates. This is what he seeks to covey to the court when he talks of how it would be futile to look for men who are more knowledgeable than him since he was one of the few people who had accepted the fact that he was not wise. By this he seeks to make it clear that what he knew was not sufficient but only a beginning. His attempt is to make clear the infinite nature of knowledge and expose the hollow claims of knowledge that were made by his contemporaries. He thus, seeks to say that knowledge should bring in people a recognition not of their worth but of their worthlessness. This, according to him would be a true lesson in humility. He explains this in this passage, where he describes his encounter with a person who was considered to be very wise- So I left him, saying to myself, as I went away: Well, although I do not suppose that either of us knows anything really beautiful and good, I am better off than he is - for he knows nothing, and thinks that he knows. I neither know nor think that I know. In this latter particular, then, I seem to have slightly the advantage of him. Then I went to another, who had still higher philosophical pretensions, and my conclusion was exactly the same. I made another enemy of him, and of many others besides him (Plato). Confucius, on the other hand, believed in an adherence to the values of tradition in one’s quest to become a complete human being. According to him, the realization of this quest would be complete only when one would be able to live in harmony with the others around him. Propriety was a very important facet of the philosophy that was propounded by Confucius. This propriety had to be maintained in a manner that was almost ritualistic and this was what would lead to social and familial harmony, according to Confucius. The family was an important part of this system, according to Confucius. This is the reason as to why he emphasizes the importance of being loyal to one’s family and filial love and loyalty is one of the biggest pillars on which the entire philosophy of Confucius rests. The importance that is given to piety to one’s elders within the family reveals the significance that Confucius wishes to give tradition and the continuance of it in the working of a society. When he says, “The superior man bends his attention to what is radical. That being established, all practical courses naturally grow up. Filial piety and fraternal submission,-are they not the root of all benevolent actions?” (Confucius) he privileges tradition and a love for stability over radical transformations of the society. Not only does he do so, he also locates all the goodness in the world in these activities. There is thus, a distinct tendency that one may detect in the Analects to be conservative in a social and political sense. If one examines other works of Plato, however, one would be able to understand that the radical views of this philosopher are not always consistent. While he affirms his aim to turn his life into a quest for truth in Gorgias where he attacks rhetoric and places it in opposition to philosophy, he also talks of the need to conform in certain ways so as to ensure the continuance of the state in Crito. The arguments that he advances in Gorgias are based on his commitment to philosophy which in turn arose from a commitment to truth. However, in Crito, he talks of the need for maintain the law that had sentenced him to death. He does not place his reputation above the law. He however, privileges the version of his dream rather than the official version that Crito offers him. His views are thus a mix of resistance and conformity. He however, is ready to give up his life for the sake of resisting the high-handedness of authority and in his quest for truth. Confucius’ writings are mostly in the form of maxims that are provided for the development, moral and spiritual, of the individual. They do not necessarily follow any logic and are often derived from the experiences that were a part of Confucius’ life. The maxims derived can thus be said to be derived from a logic that is loosely inductive. They are derived from the many instances that make a particular maxim clear to Confucius. In certain cases, deductive reasoning is also employed where single instances are sufficient to make the maxim clear to the reader. An account of the daily life and activities are provided in the Analects. This makes the form of this work very radical as far as the works that were present in the ancient world were concerned. The daily activities of a common man are chronicled in a way that is very similar to the ways in which history is conceptualized in modern times. This not only provides one an insight into the way ancient Chinese civilization was, but also into the workings of the philosophy that Confucius propounded. Plato wrote in the form of dialogues which were also quite different from the forms of literature which came out in ancient Greece. They were written in prose unlike the works of the time which were mostly in prose. The work uses deductive logic whereby the fallacies in the listener’s reasoning is spotted by Socrates and attacked. These attacks are done through the means of logic that works through syllogisms. Plato’s attack on the faulty logic employed by the state of Athens in convicting Socrates is an attack against the unreasonable means of operations that take place in a state. What he seeks is thus, like many modern political activists, transparency in the workings of the state. The theories and beliefs of Confucius and Plato, as one sees in the above arguments, are also relevant to modern times. The importance that Plato gives to rebellion and questioning established norms is something that would enable people to question unjust regimes even today. Such forms of protest and dissent would be even more effective today as most nations in the world are democracies today. These forms of protest are intellectual and not base on force pr violence. Socrates’ rejection of underhand means to leave prison is also a reminder to people that rebellion is at its most dangerous when it happens at a metal level. Such dissent, as history has shown, has the ability to topple regimes and establish new forms of society which are more durable. His mixture of rebellion and conformism is something that is necessary for the smooth working of society. He professes the employment of both in proportional measures, something that is relevant for modern political and social movements. Confucius’ views make it clear to one that mindless rebellion is not desirable as a certain kind of stability in an individual and the society is necessary for order. To prevent society from disintegrating into anarchy, one must remember what Confucius says about the individual in relation to his society. This is extremely relevant in modern society where all kinds of confusions exist regarding the roles of individuals in relation to their society. The above arguments make it clear that the views of Plato and Confucius are in a sense, timeless. Their views often contrast with each other in ways that reveal the differences between the two cultures and their philosophies. One can still apply it to modern societies and understand the ways in which they function in the light of these theories. Works Cited Confucius. The Analects. http://classics.mit.edu/Confucius/analects.1.1.html Accessed 3rd May, 2012. Plato. Gorgias. http://classics.mit.edu/Plato/gorgias.html Accessed 3rd May, 2012. Plato. Crito. http://classics.mit.edu/Plato/crito.html Accessed 3rd May, 2012. Plato. Apology. http://classics.mit.edu/Plato/apology.html Accessed 3rd May, 2012. Read More