Ethics have a place in every society in the world; one will find a system of what is considered morally right and wrong regardless of the location or culture being observed. What does depend on location and culture is the nature of each ethical system. The way in which a society or culture views the world shapes its ethical system and determines which aspects of that system are emphasized. Examining the major ethical systems of the Eastern and Western world, Confucian and Christian ethics respectively, displays this idea. Despite the surprising similarity in the basic concepts of these two systems, the finer details show striking differences in what each one emphasizes. Those familiar with Christian ethics may recall hearing something called
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For example, since the Christian rule requires kind action to everyone, including those hate or mistreat you, this rule is, in a way, rewarding bad behavior; there is no direct punishment cited for those who are not loving or do not follow it. So what then encourages people to be kind and loving when there is no punishment for behaving in the opposite way? For sincere Christians, encouragement comes from their relationship with God and the promise of ultimately being accepted into Heaven when they die. For those who are insincere, or follow this rule without a religious context, the motive is something very different. In these cases, the motive may be to do what is expected of them, or for some, to obtain a sense of superiority. By following the Christian “Golden Rule” in ethical dilemmas, one is able to become a morally superior person if they receive nothing in return. This is how one becomes a superior man in following the “Golden Rule”, whether the person’s actions are sincere or …show more content…
Even within the Ten Commandments, there is a comparison to be made with Confucianism. The fifth commandment of always honoring one’s mother and father shares the same idea of Confucius’s concept of filial piety. In this instance, the difference is not on the rule itself, but on how much emphasis is placed on it in daily ethics. Christian ethics places enough importance on honoring one’s parents to make it one of the Ten Commandments, yet Confucianism still places even more emphasis on the subject. For example, when Confucius is told of a story in which a son turned in his father for stealing a sheep, he responds that the son should have concealed the crime of his father and for “uprightness is to be found in [that]” (Confucius, 13.18). So much emphasis is placed on filial piety that it even surpasses that of appropriate justice. However, according to Christian ethics, simply concealing a father’s crime would not be enough, as no one would be punished for the crime. In order for justice to be upheld, one should instead receive the punishment of his father’s crime; thereby keeping filial piety intact while also providing a sort of justice by
For example, since the Christian rule requires kind action to everyone, including those hate or mistreat you, this rule is, in a way, rewarding bad behavior; there is no direct punishment cited for those who are not loving or do not follow it. So what then encourages people to be kind and loving when there is no punishment for behaving in the opposite way? For sincere Christians, encouragement comes from their relationship with God and the promise of ultimately being accepted into Heaven when they die. For those who are insincere, or follow this rule without a religious context, the motive is something very different. In these cases, the motive may be to do what is expected of them, or for some, to obtain a sense of superiority. By following the Christian “Golden Rule” in ethical dilemmas, one is able to become a morally superior person if they receive nothing in return. This is how one becomes a superior man in following the “Golden Rule”, whether the person’s actions are sincere or …show more content…
Even within the Ten Commandments, there is a comparison to be made with Confucianism. The fifth commandment of always honoring one’s mother and father shares the same idea of Confucius’s concept of filial piety. In this instance, the difference is not on the rule itself, but on how much emphasis is placed on it in daily ethics. Christian ethics places enough importance on honoring one’s parents to make it one of the Ten Commandments, yet Confucianism still places even more emphasis on the subject. For example, when Confucius is told of a story in which a son turned in his father for stealing a sheep, he responds that the son should have concealed the crime of his father and for “uprightness is to be found in [that]” (Confucius, 13.18). So much emphasis is placed on filial piety that it even surpasses that of appropriate justice. However, according to Christian ethics, simply concealing a father’s crime would not be enough, as no one would be punished for the crime. In order for justice to be upheld, one should instead receive the punishment of his father’s crime; thereby keeping filial piety intact while also providing a sort of justice by