AGENDA – 9/26TURN IN:

-Socratic Seminar evaluation sheet-Greek Rationalists packet

TODAY:

•Share about our weekends!

•Hand out note packet

•Socratic seminar responses: due FRIDAY!

•Chinese philosophies: Confucianism, Legalism, Taoism

TOMORROW:

•Chalk talk: Chinese philosophies

CHINESE PHILOSOPHIESCONFUCIANISM, LEGALISM, AND TAOISM

Philosophy

What principles

should guide

human conduct &

ensure order in

society?

How did the development of philosophical traditions affect political systems, social classes, and gender roles?

Historical context:Circa 475 – 221 BCE

China divided into seven major states

Literally hundreds of wars

Rulers claimed Mandate of Heaven to justify conquest

Qin Dynasty wins

Discussion:How will this historical context impact the development of Chinese philosophies?

What will philosophers seek to do?

How does this relate to the Axial Age?

Dynastic China:

Three Schools of Thought Confucianism,

Daoism & Legalism

Confucius

• Lived 551-479 BC

• Analects-

• Offered solutions to the problems plaguing China• Focus on THIS LIFE,

not the afterlife

CONFUCIANISM Based on relationships and respect◦ Hierarchical and harmonious relationships

◦ Society functions when everyone plays their part◦ Li = rituals of everyday life

◦ Mutual respect

Education highly important

1. Ruler Subject

2. Father Son

3. Husband Wife

4. Older Brother Younger Brother

5. Older Friend Younger Friend

* Status

* Age

* Gender

*Filial piety respect your elders!

CONFUCIANISM -RELATIONSHIPS

*Loyalty, honesty, and obedience to superiors

CONFUCIANISM:SOCIAL IMPACT•Becomes foundation of Chinese government

•Reinforced:

• importance of patriarchal relationships

• family as the center of Chinese society

DAOISMFounded by Laozi, 604-531 BCE

Dao = “the path”

Look toward nature for understanding and comfort

Goal: Create societal harmony by living according to the natural laws of the universe

DAOISMPeople should live the natural way-• humans can achieve

happiness by living simply in harmony with nature

Emphasizes acceptance and individual retreat from society ◦ Rely on senses and instinct to discover the nature and ‘rhythm’ of the universe

BALANCE OF OPPOSITES

* Masculine

* Active

* Light

* Warmth

* Strong

* Heaven; Sun

* Feminine

* Passive

* Darkness

* Cold

* Weak

* Earth;Moon

OPPOSITES MUST BE IN BALANCE

DAOISM• strive to maintain balance

of yin & yang

• cultural institutions

• harmful & unnecessary

• humans must ignore:• education

• societal rules of behavior

• must seek Dao through intuition & meditation

Daoism: political ideas• Believed government caused many

problems in society

• but necessary to promote human happiness

• Role of government:

• should feed people & keep away from scholars

• “best government governed least”

• many people believed this was impractical

Legalism• Founder: Han Feizi

• Teachings:• Humans are born evil & selfish

• People do not respond to good examples• did not agree with Confucius

• Best way to control humans

• Harsh punishments

• System of rewards & punishments

• Group responsibility

Legalism: political ideas• Powerful absolute ruler

• Threat of punishment will:

• force people to give up their individuality to the absolute ruler

• No place for:

• morality

• religion

SOUTH ASIAN RELIGIONS:

HINDUISM – INDIA Aryan invasion to the Indus Valley

Polytheistic

Vedas: hymns, rituals, texts

Upanishads: outlines basic beliefs (Brahman)

Caste system – social organization based on hereditary◦ And, originally, color of skin

HINDUISM – INDIA Karma – if you do good, good will happen to you; if you do bad, bad will happen to you

Dharma – fulfilling your castely duty

Samsara – circle of birth, death, and rebirth

Moksha – release from samsara; uniting with the divine

Brahma, the creator

Vishnu, the preserver

Shiva, the destroyer

BUDDHISMSiddhartha Gautama – the “Buddha,” or “enlightened one”

All life is suffering; the cause of suffering is desire;to stop suffering, stop desiring

Therefore, Buddhists live lives relatively free of material possession

BUDDHISMKarma – if you do good, good will happen to you; if you do bad, bad will happen to you

Samsara – circle of birth, death, and rebirth

Nirvana – release from samsara; uniting with the divine

Eightfold Path

Four Noble Truths

BUDDHISM– INDIA AND CHINA

Both

Reincarnation

Cyclical view of history

Belief in a state of enlightenment (Hindu

moksha, Buddhist nirvana)

Caste system

Vegetarian

The Middle Way

(Eightfold Path)

Four Noble

Truths

Hinduism

onlyBuddhism

only

RECAPUniversalizing religions: religions with a core of beliefs that transcend cultures and actively recruit new adherents (anyone can convert)◦ Examples??

Ethnic religions: religions that create strong social bonds between people but mainly are restricted to one ethnic group (people can’t always readily convert; not a strong missionary aspect)◦ Examples??