Plato and Confucius
Separated by more than 8500 kilometers but only 52 years, two seminal thinkers have shaped the moral philosophy of their respective cultures. While Western ethical theory has been deeply influenced by Plato’s Republic, Eastern ethical theory has been deeply influenced by Confucius’s Analects. David Haberman describes the Republic as ‘one of the most influential books of all time’ (86). And Bryan Van Norden compares (with considerable fervor) the Analects to ‘the combined influence of Jesus and Socrates’ (3).
On the surface, there are many similarities between Confucius and Plato. Both taught through means of dialogue, and both expressed reticence to provide direct definitions. Both advocated contemplation and education as the means for moral attainment, and both sought to balance contemplation with service. Both sought to apply their moral theory to public office (though both failed). And while Plato espoused the ‘heavenly’ forms, Confucius espoused the ‘Decree of Heaven.’ Moreover, Plato advocated the life of the philosopher, even as Confucius advocated the life of the chun-tzu.
More importantly to this paper, Confucius and Plato both advocated an ultimate ethical ideal. Confucius’s1 ethical ideal, ren,2 is central to the Analects (60 of the 499 chapters are devoted its discussion, and the word appears 109 times3). The term is tenuously translated as ‘humanness.’4 And Plato's ideal, dikaiosune, is central to the Republic (it appears 248 times throughout his writings, and 131 times in The Republic5). The term is tenuously translated as ‘justice.’
Because of differences in translation, these Greek and Chinese concepts have rarely, if ever, been compared. This is unfortunate, as a careful study of each may yield insight into the age-old question: Why should I be moral?
Confucius and Plato were teachers, and as such, both vigorously advocated their ethical ideals. Yet both seemed ambiguous in their teachings as to why one should pursue this ideal. The ’why‘ issue
On the surface, there are many similarities between Confucius and Plato. Both taught through means of dialogue, and both expressed reticence to provide direct definitions. Both advocated contemplation and education as the means for moral attainment, and both sought to balance contemplation with service. Both sought to apply their moral theory to public office (though both failed). And while Plato espoused the ‘heavenly’ forms, Confucius espoused the ‘Decree of Heaven.’ Moreover, Plato advocated the life of the philosopher, even as Confucius advocated the life of the chun-tzu.
More importantly to this paper, Confucius and Plato both advocated an ultimate ethical ideal. Confucius’s1 ethical ideal, ren,2 is central to the Analects (60 of the 499 chapters are devoted its discussion, and the word appears 109 times3). The term is tenuously translated as ‘humanness.’4 And Plato's ideal, dikaiosune, is central to the Republic (it appears 248 times throughout his writings, and 131 times in The Republic5). The term is tenuously translated as ‘justice.’
Because of differences in translation, these Greek and Chinese concepts have rarely, if ever, been compared. This is unfortunate, as a careful study of each may yield insight into the age-old question: Why should I be moral?
Confucius and Plato were teachers, and as such, both vigorously advocated their ethical ideals. Yet both seemed ambiguous in their teachings as to why one should pursue this ideal. The ’why‘ issue
Bibliography: Annas, J., 1981, An Introduction to Plato’s Republic, Oxford University Press Inc, New York. Aristotle, 1925, The Nicomachean Ethics, D. Ross (trans.), revised by Ackrill and Urmson, Oxford University Press Inc, New York. Confucius, 1979, Confucius: the Analcts, D. C. Lau (trans.), Penguin Classics, London. Confucius, 1999, The Analects of Confucius, A New-Millennium Translation, D.H. Li (trans.), Premier Publishing, Maryland. Confucius, 2000, The Analects, A. Waley (trans.), Allen, S. (intro.), Alfred A, Knopf, Inc, New York. Creel, H.G., 1949, Confucius and the Chinese Way, First Harper Torchbook, New York. Ferguson, John, 1958, Moral Values in the Ancient World, Methuen, London. Irwin, T., 1995, Plato’s Ethics, Oxford University Press Inc, New York. Ivanhoe, P.J., 2000, Confucian Moral Self Cultivation, Second Edition, Hackett Publishing Inc, Indianapolis. Ivanhoe, P.J., 2002, Ethics in the Confucian Edition Tradition, Second Edition, Hackett Publishing Inc, Indianapolis. Plato, 1997, The Complete Works, J.M. Cooper, (ed.), Hackett, Indianapolis. Shun, Kwong-Loi, ‘Jen and LI in the Analects’, Philosophy East & West Volume 43 Issue 3 (1993), 458. Stevenson, L. and D.L. Haberman, 2004, Ten Theories of Human Nature, Fourth Edition, Oxford University Press Inc, New York. Van Norden, B.W. (ed.), 2002, Confucius and the Analects, New Essays, Oxford University Press Inc, New York. Yu, Jiyuan, ‘Virtue: Confucius and Aristotle’, Philosophy East & West Volume 48 Issue 2 (1998), 326.