Xiaoxuan Zhao
Poli 113A
Professor Victor Magagna
July 21, 2017
Prompt 1: Five Core Concepts The East Asian political thought is based on various concepts that impact its development. The concepts of Confucianism, human nature, harmony, are at the core of the East Asian political thought. These concepts form the foundation of promoting an understanding of the political orientation. This work examines the various concepts in the East Asian political thought and action. Confucianism marks an important and popular concept in the East- Asian tradition of political thought and action. The concept is founded on the work of Confucius (551-479 BCE) who was a prominent Chinese philosopher (De Bary, 2008). The primary concern of Confucius was to explicate …show more content…
Human nature is considered developmental and potential as opposed to being a fixed fact (Lecture notes). Mengzi was concerned about how one’s life force and will could be channeled towards the maximization of the goodness that is inherent in human nature (Yao, 2000). Indeed, based on this concept, the nature of humans is that it can be developed through the course of life. One has a moral responsibility to develop the human nature particularly for the political leaders. One is entitled to the responsibility of developing the human nature to its maximum potential where one emerges a fully realized human being which yield delights. According to Mencius, channeling the human nature starts with a development and a discipline of the mind. For a leader in the political realm, directing the human nature to attain the political goals is the most fundamental thing. This East Asian concept of human nature is built upon the Confucius concept of how the human nature can be nurtured and carefully directed in ways that are not only beneficial to the individual but also to the community as a whole (Yao, 2000). Important to the concept of human nature is flourishing. The same way an individual has personal and political orientations, is the same way that the individual holds the ‘flourishing idea’. Flourishing in this case refers to flourishing of the human mind and the society as a whole (Yao, 2000). As …show more content…
Personal development emerges as a primary responsibility of an individual and is considered the most ideal for an individual (Lecture notes). Based in the analects of Confucius, personal development or self- cultivation is involved with Zhou’s rites and moral education that is led by a morally attained ruler. Personal development is driven by personal resources such as a moral desire, will-power and an internal reflection and thought coupled with an active evaluation and assessment of how individual thoughts and actions compare with those of others. Mencius notes that self –cultivation and personal development are mainly tantamount to achieving the basic functions of human beings (Brindley, 2011). Hence, an individual dictates his or her locus for personal development and self-cultivation. Moreover, it is one’s own responsibility to transform oneself and contribute to the transformation of the society as a whole (Brindley, 2011). Based on the concept of personal development is the aspect of individualism where that individual forms the basis upon which authority, moral understanding and behavior is formed. Hence, the individual is considered invaluable in the process of personal development and self-cultivation that yields the potential to be authoritative within a system of political, social and cosmic forces. While the individual is considered an invaluable element of self-cultivation,
Poli 113A
Professor Victor Magagna
July 21, 2017
Prompt 1: Five Core Concepts The East Asian political thought is based on various concepts that impact its development. The concepts of Confucianism, human nature, harmony, are at the core of the East Asian political thought. These concepts form the foundation of promoting an understanding of the political orientation. This work examines the various concepts in the East Asian political thought and action. Confucianism marks an important and popular concept in the East- Asian tradition of political thought and action. The concept is founded on the work of Confucius (551-479 BCE) who was a prominent Chinese philosopher (De Bary, 2008). The primary concern of Confucius was to explicate …show more content…
Human nature is considered developmental and potential as opposed to being a fixed fact (Lecture notes). Mengzi was concerned about how one’s life force and will could be channeled towards the maximization of the goodness that is inherent in human nature (Yao, 2000). Indeed, based on this concept, the nature of humans is that it can be developed through the course of life. One has a moral responsibility to develop the human nature particularly for the political leaders. One is entitled to the responsibility of developing the human nature to its maximum potential where one emerges a fully realized human being which yield delights. According to Mencius, channeling the human nature starts with a development and a discipline of the mind. For a leader in the political realm, directing the human nature to attain the political goals is the most fundamental thing. This East Asian concept of human nature is built upon the Confucius concept of how the human nature can be nurtured and carefully directed in ways that are not only beneficial to the individual but also to the community as a whole (Yao, 2000). Important to the concept of human nature is flourishing. The same way an individual has personal and political orientations, is the same way that the individual holds the ‘flourishing idea’. Flourishing in this case refers to flourishing of the human mind and the society as a whole (Yao, 2000). As …show more content…
Personal development emerges as a primary responsibility of an individual and is considered the most ideal for an individual (Lecture notes). Based in the analects of Confucius, personal development or self- cultivation is involved with Zhou’s rites and moral education that is led by a morally attained ruler. Personal development is driven by personal resources such as a moral desire, will-power and an internal reflection and thought coupled with an active evaluation and assessment of how individual thoughts and actions compare with those of others. Mencius notes that self –cultivation and personal development are mainly tantamount to achieving the basic functions of human beings (Brindley, 2011). Hence, an individual dictates his or her locus for personal development and self-cultivation. Moreover, it is one’s own responsibility to transform oneself and contribute to the transformation of the society as a whole (Brindley, 2011). Based on the concept of personal development is the aspect of individualism where that individual forms the basis upon which authority, moral understanding and behavior is formed. Hence, the individual is considered invaluable in the process of personal development and self-cultivation that yields the potential to be authoritative within a system of political, social and cosmic forces. While the individual is considered an invaluable element of self-cultivation,