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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
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CHINESE PHILOSOPHIESCONFUCIANISM, LEGALISM, AND TAOISM
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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?
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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
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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?
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Dynastic China:
Three Schools of Thought Confucianism,
Daoism & Legalism
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Confucius
• Lived 551-479 BC
• Analects-
• Offered solutions to the problems plaguing China• Focus on THIS LIFE,
not the afterlife
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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
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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
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CONFUCIANISM:SOCIAL IMPACT•Becomes foundation of Chinese government
•Reinforced:
• importance of patriarchal relationships
• family as the center of Chinese society
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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
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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
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BALANCE OF OPPOSITES
* Masculine
* Active
* Light
* Warmth
* Strong
* Heaven; Sun
* Feminine
* Passive
* Darkness
* Cold
* Weak
* Earth;Moon
OPPOSITES MUST BE IN BALANCE
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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
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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
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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
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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
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SOUTH ASIAN RELIGIONS:
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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
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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
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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
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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
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BUDDHISM– INDIA AND CHINA
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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
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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??