...Confucius on Government Analysis Amel Al-kilany Confucius (551-479 BCE) is the Chinese philosopher who founded the system of philosophical and ethical teachings known as Confucianism. While he was best known as a philosopher, he was also an educator and a political figure. His goal was to form a society that returned to its roots by participating in old customs and traditions such as filial piety and ancestral worship to succeed. Confucius also recommended to several leaders that good government was only possible through good leaders, and harmony and justice were not possible without virtuous government. Although Confucius never wrote down his own philosophy, a majority of his teachings were preserved in the Analects by his followers who recorded...
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...Nothing in the canon of early Confucians directly corresponds with the concept of a person.[1] Yet, the philosophical content of their works seems to commit Confucius and those who followed in his wake to various implications about persons. Three recent thinkers have been especially important in trying to specify the features of a Confucian theory of the person. Herbert Fingarettes’s Confucius: The Secular as Sacred is roughly of the same vintage as John Rawls’s A Theory of Justice, and while it is a much more slender volume, it has had within its sphere a similarly far-reaching influence.[2] In the wake of Fingarette’s work, two other important essays were produced in honor of Fingarette: “Rights-Bearing Individuals and Role-Bearing Persons,” by Henry Rosemont Jr., and “Reflections on the Confucian Self: A Response to Fingarette,” by Roger T. Ames.[3] Each of these thinkers sees Confucius as offering an alternative understanding to the received Cartesian view of the person. In each case, the Confucian stance on the person is interpreted as being overwhelmingly social as opposed to the western view, which is characterized as being impossibly individualistic. Against these three currents, I will argue here that the Confucian understanding of a person is not so alien to western understandings, and I will use the seminal piece by P.F. Strawson on persons to demonstrate this.[4] Since I will refer to it throughout the treatment of the other authors, I will begin by briefly specifying...
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...BCE, discussed self-cultivation in their teachings. Their texts contained ethical and political reflections. The well-known Confucius emphasized that humans needed to practice lifelong self-cultivation to attain spontaneous and effortless ordering of a country in The Analects. However, another philosopher, Mozi, disagreed with the Confucius’ idea of self-cultivation. Mozi highlighted that people needed a superior leader to change and shape their behaviors in order to have a peaceful state. He showed little interest in self-cultivation. So, in my essay, I compared the different views of Confucius and Mozi about self-cultivation, which were based on presuppositions about human nature and the ideal practices of men. Which of the systems—self-cultivation or obeying one’s superior—was the primary goal for humans to accomplish in order to have an orderly state? Importantly, from my perspective, self-cultivation is important for individuals and the society at large in order to bring good changes to a state. First, what did Confucius think about human nature? Confucius did not talk about human nature in The Analects, but he believed that “by nature people are similar; they diverge as the result of practice” (The Analects,” 17.2). This quote shows Confucius believed that humans were different from each other because of their actions, behaviors, and attitudes, and not because of their nature. Therefore, Confucius did not focus on human nature, but on men’s daily routines practiced through...
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...particular, Confucianism promoted intellectual pursuit for both the individual and the populace, whereas Legalism and Taoism had a diverging attitude that was strongly against education. The Confucian ideology is the only one of the aforementioned schools to place a heavy emphasis on intellectual cultivation for both personal purposes and for the sake of a virtuous government. The philosophy looks down on those with faith in intuition and natural understanding, which is a notion that is present in Taoism. They believe that genuine understanding derives primarily from studying a subject; it does not necessarily come to someone spontaneously. Confucius supposedly said, “By nature men are alike. Through practice they have become far apart” (Analects 17:2, Chan 29). He outlines that men are inherently good for the most part, but interaction with the surrounding environment can significantly mold their values. The influences of external forces are not always for the better and people will often need...
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...An Analysis of the Central Themes of The Bhagavad Gita and its Influence on Significant Historical Figures and Literature. Gavin McClung “You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You are able to say to yourself ‘I have lived through this horror. I can take the next thing that comes along.’ You must do the thing you think you cannot do.” -Eleanor Roosevelt The Bhagavad Gita has been estimated to have been in existence since about 500 BCE although the oldest known handwritten copy is in a museum in London and is dated to 1488. It predates the Bible, the Quran, and 50 Shades of Grey. As one of the oldest pieces of literature known to us it has gained a reputation as one of the most insightful tomes into the human condition and it’s philosophies and themes have influenced many of the most historically significant people and their actions. Mahatma Gandhi, Eleanor Roosevelt, Henry David Thoreau, and even Albert Einstein all read the Gita and were deeply moved by it. These are not normal run of the mill people, but were great thinkers, people of action and world-changers. Surely, the world has been influenced by such a powerful text through the many people it has inspired and taught with it’s central themes of Yoga and Renunciation, and Dharma and Karma among others. Here we will take a look at some of the major themes of the Gita as well as some of the historically significant figures it has influenced and...
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...1 BUSINESS ETHICS WAYNE EASTMAN RUTGERS BUSINESS SCHOOL Wayne Eastman (weastman@business.rutgers.edu 1 2 SYLLABUS Text: Managing Business Ethics, Fifth Edition (2011), Linda Trevino and Katharine Nelson. John Wiley & Sons, ISBN 978-0-470-34394-4 (paperback). Handouts: 1) Ethical Teachings and the Logic of Human Nature 2) American Groups Other readings: Links on syllabus and on Blackboard. Course objectives A major priority of the course is to equip you to make thoughtful and effective arguments as to how to deal with business issues as to which there is no obvious, clear answer, and in which ethical concerns are present. Other key objectives include familiarizing you with major ethical teachings and with the relationship of ethics to science. Bases for evaluation Over the course of the semester, you will be expected to do four papers with a recommended length of 5 pages each in at least three of the four formats described below. These four papers will each count for 15% of your grade. You must submit all your papers by Week 14. I suggest submitting papers in weeks 5, 8, 11, and 14; do not submit before that. There will be a midterm exam and a final exam consisting of objective closed-book questions and an essay; the midterm and final will each count 15% of your course grade. You will also be expected to participate in discussions and to make at least one presentation...
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...argues, a more sophisticated society could be established. Indeed, some of Hirsh’s statements are fairly respectable. School education in China, for instance, attaches great importance to cultural literacy. Every child has to go through the 9-year-compulsory fundamental education program and a national standardized assessment at the end of the ninth year. Of all the high schools in China, more than 95 percent use very similar textbooks in every subject. In literature classes, texts books are made up of excerpts from novels and ancient prose. In addition, an enormous amount of text copying and memorization is involved. Therefore, if you ask any Chinese pupil to recite his or her first school lesson, you get the same identical answer: the Analects of Confucius. Many other Asian countries such as Japan, Korea, and India adopt the same system. This formalized education system ensures everyone at the same literate level in all the subjects when they walk out of high school. A student will not be outperforming in literature but fail in math. He or she needs to have literature text in mind while solving the intricate calculus problems. However, Is the society better educated in such way? The central of Hirsch’s suggested education contains a list of knowledge that every teenager should have a decent understanding. What he did not realize is that an exhaustive study list leads to excessive burden to our students. My cousin was in an elite Chinese school at ninth grade. Her school classes...
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...in light of consequentialism. Throughout the book, Van Norden makes excellent and understandable bridges to compare the philosophies of the East and the West. He takes the perspectives presented by Aristotle’s virtue ethics and other western philosophers and contrasts them with the conceptions that Confucianism offers towards leading a virtuous life and the process of the ethical cultivation of one's self, as well as drawing analogues between Mohism and consequentialism through obviously thorough archaeological and philosophical research into Chinese history. Through the five chapters Van Norden uses his “contemporary analytic” method to understand the conflict between the proponents of Confucianism and of Mohism, to interprety Kongzi's Analects, to consider early Mohist thought in the framework of consequentialism , and in the end, to discuss Confucianism's value in the contemporary studies of ethics. The first, second, and fourth chapters of the book I found the most interesting as they concern the methodology Van Norden uses throughout the rest of his book, Kongzi, and Mengzi. Firstly, Van Norden concerns himself with "finding, interpreting, and evaluating arguments in the texts; clarifying the meaning of the texts by spelling out interpretive alternatives and examining whether some make better sense of the text than others; and exploring whether each text is self-consistent" (Van Norden 2). He uses what he calls a “hermeneutic of restoration” as opposed to a “hermeneutic...
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...A Detailed Lesson Plan in English I. Objectives At the end of the lesson, the students will be able to: 1. Identify statements that show cause and effect relationship. 2. Read a poem correctly and clearly with expressions. 3. Appreciate reading poems. 4. Decode words with “augh” (o) sounds II. Subject Matter Cause and Effect Relationship Reference/s: Fun in English Reading Textbook pages 94-101 Materials: Visual Aids, Charts, Flash Cards, Pictures, Name Tags Values: Develop a genuine love for reading, love for family III. Procedure A. Learning Activities Teacher’s Activity “Good Morning Class...” “Let us pray first...” (Checking of Attendance) ...say present... “Please pick up the pieces of paper under your chair” “So how was your weekend?” “That’s good! Have you enjoyed your weekend bonding with your family?” “That’s good to know. For this morning, our discussion will be in relation to a family. Are you familiar with Barney’s I Love You Song?” “Okay that’s good, so are you ready to sing and have fun today? | Student’s Activity “Good Morning Sir!” (One Student will lead the Prayer) (Students raise their hand and say present as the teacher calls in their name)(Students pick up the pieces of paper) “It was great sir!”...
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...Schumpeter: Taking the long view | The Economist 24/08/13 12:14 AM More from The Economist Subscription Log in or register World politics Business & finance Economics Science & technology Culture Blogs Debate Multimedia Print edition This site uses cookies. By continuing to browse the site you are agreeing to our use of cookies. Review our cookies information for more details Schumpeter Comment (77) E-mail Print Reprints & permissions Taking the long view The pursuit of shareholder value is attracting criticism—not all of it foolish Nov 24th 2012 | From the print edition Tweet 262 Advertisement HE IS the chief executive of a multinational corporation, but Paul Polman sometimes sounds more like a spokesman for Occupy Wall Street. The boss of Unilever (an AngloDutch consumer-goods firm with brands ranging from Timotei shampoo to Ben & Jerry’s ice cream) agonises about unemployment, global warming and baby-boomer greed. He puts some of the blame for these ills on the most influential management theory of the past three decades: the idea that companies should aim above all else to maximise returns to shareholders. He appears to mean it. Since taking charge in 2009, Mr Polman has stopped Unilever from publishing full financial results every quarter. He refuses to offer earnings guidance to equity analysts. He has introduced a lengthy “sustainable living plan” and attracted a new cadre of long-term investors, particularly...
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...THE CHINESE MANAGEMENT Confucius on Management History has shown that China is a significant creator and repository of great philosophies, yet we know little of Chinese philosophies on leadership. With China becoming a global economic and political force, we need to learn from and to understand Chinese leadership philosophies. We must also consider that China is now in the process of blending its tradition, customs and practices with Western concepts and ideas. In the business world, it is the blending of its wisdom and Western practices. Successful leadership behavior of today's more culturally diverse workforce is one of the most important challenges organizations face. CHINA The People's Republic of China today seems to be entering the modern world, coming out of the shadow of the warlords, the 20-year struggle between communism and nationalism, and the Cultural Revolution. Moves are afoot to shift the Chinese economy more toward the market-oriented end of the spectrum. China’s 1978 open door policy initiated rapid economic development, and consequently exposed china to a flood to Western management practices. CHINA 2 China is a country of old and new and one that is in transition. With the rise of China in the global economy, it has never been more important for business leaders to understand Chinese leadership philosophies and practices. Ancient Chinese thinking and Western ideas have shaped the development of leadership styles in China. Leadership theories (paternalistic...
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...FACULTY OF SCIENCE DEPARTMENT OF LIFE AND HEALTH SCIENCES NURSING PROGRAM COURSE TITLE COURSE CODE: Nursing Ethics/ NURS-121 INSTRUCTOR NAME: Ms. Savoula Ghobrial STUDENT NAME: Amal Alzubi Introduction 1. What is Suicide? ”Suicide” is difficult to define. This is because it is a value-laden term. Whenever we apply the label of “suicide” to an individual’s death, we typically presuppose a number of significant moral issues. To see the problem, let’s posit a definition: Suicide: Is the intentional and voluntary taking of one’s own life. At first glance, this is a simple and appealing definition. It seems to capture the core phenomenon of self-killing pretty succinctly. There are, however, all sorts of cases that would test the limits of this definition. Consider the “voluntariness” requirement. Many people may take their lives under conditions of coercion, duress or necessity. Does that mean they don’t commit suicide? Take the example of Hitler. He killed himself in order to avoid the humiliation of execution. Was his decision voluntary? What of the Japanese Samurai, who had a form of ritual self-killing (known asseppuka or hari-kari) that they used to “die with honor” rather than fall into the hands of their enemies? Or the soldier who throws himself on a grenade in order to save his comrades? I suspect we would say that each of these counts as an example of “suicide”, but depending on how we understand the voluntariness condition; they may not meet...
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...Sex and advertising: Retail therapy | The Economist 18/10/2012 22:28 Log in Register Subscribe Digital & mobile Events Topics A-Z Newsletters Jobs Thursday October 18th 2012 Search Multimedia Print edition World politics Business & finance Economics Science & technology Culture Blogs Debate The World in 2013 We use cookies to support features like login and allow trusted media partners to analyse aggregated site usage. Keep cookies enabled to enjoy the full site experience. By browsing our site with cookies enabled, you are agreeing to their use. Review our cookies information for more details. Sex and advertising Comment (28) E-mail Print Reprints & permissions Retail therapy How Ernest Dichter, an acolyte of Sigmund Freud, revolutionised marketing Dec 17th 2011 | from the print edition Like 1.7k Tweet 874 Advertisement THESE are thrilling days for behavioural research. Every week seems to yield a new discovery about how bad people are at making decisions. Humans, it turns out, are impressionable, emotional and irrational. We buy things we don't need, often at arbitrary prices and for silly reasons. Studies show that when a store plays soothing music, shoppers will linger for longer and often spend more. If customers are in a good mood, they are more susceptible to persuasion. We believe price tends to indicate the value of things, not the other way around. And many people will squander valuable time...
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...Running head: Vietnamese and English idioms related to the word “Dog”: Vietnamese and English idioms related to the word “Dog”: A contrastive Analysis Student: Nguyen Le Hoang Yen Class: 4A08 Ho Chi Minh City University of Pedagogy Contrastive Analysis Instructor: Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Vu December 31, 2011 Abstract One problem which makes a lot of people have difficulty in communicating with one another is to use idiomatic expressions. As far as you know, idiomatic expressions make English become colorful and full of vitality, so they are often used very much in the native speakers’ speech and in the writing such as news, songs, movies, etc. on the television. However, these idioms are sometimes are not easy to understand and study their meanings, so I decide to study them by studying Vietnamese and English idioms containing the word ‘dog’ and one another reason for this topic to study is that I really like lovely dogs. In my studying this topic, there are two parts such as theoretical background and Vietnamese and English idioms related to the word ‘dog’ which is the main part of my topic. Theoretical background Idioms versus proverbs Idioms and proverbs are frequently used in the daily speech, so we can not find the differences between them clearly. However, we can distinguish idioms and proverbs by basing on some criteria. Idioms * It is a fixed group of words. e.g. the idiom ‘chó chui gầm chạn’ has the same meaning of the word ‘hèn hạ’ (disgraced)....
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...A Sino-U.S. Comparison of Work-Family Conflict and Its Implications to American Managers A SINO-U.S. COMPARISON OF WORK-FAMILY CONFLICT 2 Abstract In this qualitative study, work-family conflict in China and the United States is compared and contrasted based on national culture, traditions, norms, and living standards. The analysis results in a proposition that Chinese employees will experience less work-family conflict when faced with the same work and family demand as their American counterparts, because of differences in their work and family priority, perception of work-family relationship, national culture, conflict handling style, social support, work-family communication, and economic pressure. The implications to American managers are discussed. A SINO-U.S. COMPARISON OF WORK-FAMILY CONFLICT 3 A Sino-U.S. Comparison of Work-Family Conflict and Its Implications to American Managers Work-family conflict has been a concern of many researchers (Carlson & Kacmar, 2000; Greenhaus & Beutell, 1985). Studies showed that work-family conflict had negative impact on employees, their families, and organizations (Beutell & Witting-Berman, 1999; Burke, 1988; Frone & Cooper, 1992; Goff, Mount, & Jamison, 1990; Martins, Eddleston, & Veiga, 2002). Recent changes in demographic characteristics of the U.S. work force have resulted in greater work-family conflict. Examples of these demographic changes include the...
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