Plato Contrasted with Confucius

Plato Contrasted with Confucius

Since the early beginnings of society, in which people began living in gathered communities, there can be seen a constant progression, upon a steady time line, of the increased order of the organization of society. However, this is not the kind of progress that was sought by two widely known philosophers and teachers, Plato and Confucius. The kind of social reform and alteration displayed in the teachings and writings of both of these men, examine a movement from societies viewed as chaotic and barbaric toward societies consisting of gentleman, practicing prescribed values, morals, and actions. Confucius and Plato both emphasized a moral conduct that went above and beyond the socially accepted norms of their times. Despite the concentration on these factors in Chinese and Grecian cultures, the progress attempted by both of these philosophers was not achieved by their own standards within their own societies.

There are several common themes running through the primary work of compiled sayings attributed to Confucius: emphasis on gentlemanly conduct, pursuit of humbleness among fellow man, and a search for a proper ruler who is in accordance with “the Way.” Running throughout the entire book of “The Analects”, Confucius makes reference to many characteristics that a gentleman should possess. Even beginning in the first chapter of Book One, Confucius is attributed with saying, “Is it not gentlemanly not to take offence when others fail to appreciate your abilities?” Other characteristics Confucius attributed to gentlemanly conduct include studying the rites and “The Odes”, humbleness, lack of desire for places of position, unbending in moral conduct, and many other factors. By laying out a basis upon which a gentleman should act, Confucius establishes a standard to measure the quality of all men. Setting a standard implies that there are men above and below this set, desired point, and the word standard also indicates a measure of quantitative or qualitative value. By creating such a standard, Confucius is immediately able to begin causing social reform and progress. However, this progress, though achieved through concentration on social values, never reaches the capacity to which Confucius desires it to reach. Several sayings within The Analects indicate that Confucius is unable to see an accumulation of all desire...

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...ty is tentative. It proves to reason that a society guided by high morals will have a progress. However, to assume that all corruption will be removed simply by placing leadership in office that adheres to the high standards fails to recognize the flaw in man that Plato and Confucius both obviously see: man is in need of progress towards civil order. From the beginning, man is already viewed as degraded and morally corrupt. The society will progress because progression of society has been the natural order since the beginning of civilization. It is the quality and moral standing of this progress that is in question. Using Plato’s method of progression, it can be seen that society is not progressing, but rather being led blindly down a road. Progression implies the acquisition of knowledge upon a continuous path. Keeping men under order through ignorance, and elevating those with morally upright actions only serves to further isolate and expand the gap between the men possessing knowledge of civil order and those merely following it out of service to a defined path. A false sense of progress is created, while the majority of society remains ignorant of why to be humane and civil.