Dual Enrollment and Eastern Philosophy
By Nicole Cohen, a Junior at iPrep Academy
By Nicole Cohen, a Junior at iPrep Academy
While most students my age don’t know what they want to study, I have the opposite problem: I want to study everything. I have so many interests and curiosities that I always felt like I didn’t have enough time to pursue them. Attending iPrep gives me the opportunity to explore these curiosities for free: This is the benefit of Dual Enrollment in high school.
Choosing a Dual Enrollment class is difficult. Especially in a rigorous junior year at iPrep, I wanted to make sure I did not make an already stressful year even more stressful; I wanted to take a class that I enjoyed, most of all, even though I knew there were plenty of other courses that would put me ahead of my peers and give me an advantage with college credits.
Choosing a Dual Enrollment class is difficult. Especially in a rigorous junior year at iPrep, I wanted to make sure I did not make an already stressful year even more stressful; I wanted to take a class that I enjoyed, most of all, even though I knew there were plenty of other courses that would put me ahead of my peers and give me an advantage with college credits.
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When I tell people I was taking the class “Intro to Eastern Philosophy” out of pure interest, most think I am wasting my time. Why wouldn’t I take a math course, for example, and finish my math requirements? I could have done that, too. I am sure that, had I chosen that path, I would also be satisfied with my choice.
Whether you are considering Dual Enrollment for intrinsic or extrinsic motivations, either choice is beneficial. I learned so much in this one semester course that I am sad that it is ending. This course also spiked my fascination for philosophy, and I decided to share some of the things I learned. |
A page from the Analects by Wikipedia
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While learning about ancient philosophy, I realized that there are similar characteristics of “thinkers,” despite the thousands of miles between them. After all, it seems implausible that almost all of the philosophers that shaped the way we live today developed roughly at the same time. How is it that philosophy shifted in the same direction, in completely different parts of the world, without any form of communication or contact?
Lao Tzu, an ancient Chinese philosopher and poet, by Heroic
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As Nicolas Baumard, a PhD. of Social Sciences, explained in the Academic Journal “What Changed during the axial age: Cognitive styles or reward systems,” The Axial Age covers a period from 500 BC to 300 BC* when people’s views of humanity shifted; people started thinking about how and why things around them worked rather than simply accepting them. As the name – coined by German Philosopher Karl Jaspers – suggests, there was a “turn,” like on an axis, where people’s interests focused on transcendence, fate, and the “nature” of man, among many other things.
This shift occurred in many different parts of the world: Greece, India, China, and more. In this article, I explore the most influential Chinese philosophers of this time period; later articles will focus on different regions of the world. Most of the information in this article comes from the book Classic Asian Philosophy - A Guide to the Essential Texts by Joel J. Kupperman, a professor of philosophy, and my notes taken from Professor Sarah Jacob’s “Intro to Eastern Philosophy” class in Miami Dade College (PHI2070) September 2022-December 2022. |
*The dates are not set in stone, and many philosophers disagree with the “real” timeframe of this period. I will use this approximate date, but it is possible that some of the discussed philosophers might be slightly outside of this range.
Confucius (551- 479 BCE)
Confucious was born in Lu, an estate in Eastern China, in times of chaos. Because the Zhou dynasty was declining, China was violent and tension ruled the grounds; he wanted to restore peace and transform the government. Confucius was seen as China’s first teacher and accumulated approximately 3000 students.
His teachings strongly emphasized the importance of rituals, filial piety, and the rectification of names (roles). Confucius also focused on social cohesion, behavior and consciousness, and virtue ethics.
His students gathered some of the conversations between the disciples and Confucius and named them The Analects. These little excerpts of conversations are, sometimes, ambiguous and usually minimized in the media. For someone who does not understand Confucius’ goal and position, his teachings are puzzling and meaningless.
Confucius (551- 479 BCE)
Confucious was born in Lu, an estate in Eastern China, in times of chaos. Because the Zhou dynasty was declining, China was violent and tension ruled the grounds; he wanted to restore peace and transform the government. Confucius was seen as China’s first teacher and accumulated approximately 3000 students.
His teachings strongly emphasized the importance of rituals, filial piety, and the rectification of names (roles). Confucius also focused on social cohesion, behavior and consciousness, and virtue ethics.
His students gathered some of the conversations between the disciples and Confucius and named them The Analects. These little excerpts of conversations are, sometimes, ambiguous and usually minimized in the media. For someone who does not understand Confucius’ goal and position, his teachings are puzzling and meaningless.
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As Kupperman explained in Chapter 5, Confucius believed that a good ruler had a strong responsibility to the unprivileged part of the population. A good official should not only benefit the people but also serve as an example of what a good citizen should be like; Confucius thought that no one who was not good could be a good governor, but he still acknowledged that there are more aspects of a good ruler than just being a moral person.
There are five fixed virtues in Confucianism: Li (propriety/ practical value), ren (benevolence), yi (righteousness), zhi (wisdom), and xin (fidelity). For this I will focus on li and ren. Li highlights the importance of ceremonies, rites, filial piety, and proper conduct. For Confucius, rituals are the way to regulate encounters, social and political, of people. Most importantly, rituals are the way that children express their gratitude to their parents. Even today, we engage in secular rituals every day: opening the door for someone behind us, saying “Good Morning” and “Thank you,” and saying “bless you” when someone sneezes. All of these things might seem small, but they all humanize and acknowledge another human being. These little daily interactions affect us and others in more ways than we know. In Confucianism, saying “thank you” is not only a sign of respect but also a gift: you are showing the other person that they have made a difference in your life. Community is a big aspect of Confucianism. |
Confucius by National Geographic
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Quote on Ritual:
“1:2 When it comes to the practice of ritual, it is harmonious ease that is to be valued. It is precisely such harmony that makes the Way of the Former Kings so beautiful. If you merely stick rigidly to ritual in all matters, great and small, there will remain that which you cannot accomplish. Yet if you know enough to value harmonious ease but try to attain it without being regulated by the rites, this will not work either” (Kupperman ch. 1.2).
Ren focuses on altruism and the qualities that form a virtuous man. As said before, morality and benevolence are big parts of Confucianism; a ruler needs Ren to rule appropriately. When asked how to define Ren, Confucius answered with ai, the word for love in Chinese. While Ren is about the relationship between two people, it is also about “realizing that one is never alone, and that everyone has these relationships to fall back on, being a member of a family, the state, and the world,” as Beijing Tourism, a website created by the Information Center of the Beijing Municipal Culture and Tourism Bureau, described.
Quote on Virtue:
6: 16 “When nature exceeds cultivation, one becomes rude. When cultivation exceeds nature, one becomes artificial. It is only when one’s nature and cultivation are properly blended that he becomes a gentleman” (Kupperman ch. 6.16).
Confucius is one of the most influential thinkers of all time. Many, if not all, later Chinese philosophers are inspired by Confucius.
“1:2 When it comes to the practice of ritual, it is harmonious ease that is to be valued. It is precisely such harmony that makes the Way of the Former Kings so beautiful. If you merely stick rigidly to ritual in all matters, great and small, there will remain that which you cannot accomplish. Yet if you know enough to value harmonious ease but try to attain it without being regulated by the rites, this will not work either” (Kupperman ch. 1.2).
Ren focuses on altruism and the qualities that form a virtuous man. As said before, morality and benevolence are big parts of Confucianism; a ruler needs Ren to rule appropriately. When asked how to define Ren, Confucius answered with ai, the word for love in Chinese. While Ren is about the relationship between two people, it is also about “realizing that one is never alone, and that everyone has these relationships to fall back on, being a member of a family, the state, and the world,” as Beijing Tourism, a website created by the Information Center of the Beijing Municipal Culture and Tourism Bureau, described.
Quote on Virtue:
6: 16 “When nature exceeds cultivation, one becomes rude. When cultivation exceeds nature, one becomes artificial. It is only when one’s nature and cultivation are properly blended that he becomes a gentleman” (Kupperman ch. 6.16).
Confucius is one of the most influential thinkers of all time. Many, if not all, later Chinese philosophers are inspired by Confucius.
Confucius, the Buddha and Lao Tzu Versus Western Hysteria by Katehon
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Lao Tzu/ Laozi (circa. 6th century BCE)
Lao Tzu is the credited author of the Daodejing. “Dao” translates to “The Way” or “The Path.” Lao Tzu concerned himself with harmony with nature, but it is impossible to explain the Dao because the Dao cannot be understood; it is already within us. In the first chapter of the Daodejing, it is written that “the Dao that can be told is not the eternal Dao; The name that can be named is not the eternal Name” (verse 1). Naming and rationalizing the Dao goes against its own values because the Dao is infinite. This opposition to names is a clear contrast with Confucianism, which relies heavily on roles and responsibilities. |
In summary, the Dao teaches us how to be in harmony with the universe. In Chapter 7 "Daoism" teaches about Yin-Yang, Wuwei, and simplicity.
The Yin-Yang symbolizes the importance of balance between two opposites. The two dots in each swirl symbolize the idea that we all exist in each other. This symbol shows how contrary forces are integral to one another. Using the Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde as an example, Hyde, despite being the personification of evil, has goodness inside of him, and Jekyll contains evil inside of him, according to Yin-Yang. At the end of the book, Hyde dies (or commits suicide) and because they are the same person, Jekyll dies as well. They are both intertwined and cannot exist separately.
The Yin-Yang symbolizes the importance of balance between two opposites. The two dots in each swirl symbolize the idea that we all exist in each other. This symbol shows how contrary forces are integral to one another. Using the Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde as an example, Hyde, despite being the personification of evil, has goodness inside of him, and Jekyll contains evil inside of him, according to Yin-Yang. At the end of the book, Hyde dies (or commits suicide) and because they are the same person, Jekyll dies as well. They are both intertwined and cannot exist separately.
Confucius by National Geographic
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Wuwei means “nonaction” or “effortless action”. This does not mean “do nothing”; Wuwei is doing things that do not disrupt the flow of nature/the universe. We should go with the “Way of Nature” instead of against it. We should let things happen without force.
Daoism points out the importance of a simple daily life. The Daoists focused on behavior, tranquility, and the real world. “Nameless, it is the beginning of Heaven and earth; Named, it is the mother of myriad creatures” (verse 1) |
These two are just examples of Ancient Chinese philosophy. Many other thinkers – such as Mozi, Xunzi, Mencius, and Zhuangzi – were also extremely influential. In the next article, I will discuss these four Chinese philosophers. As I write the next articles, I will draw comparisons between some philosophers to highlight their similarities (or differences).
Works Cited:
Baumard, Nicolas, et al. “What Changed during the Axial Age: Cognitive Styles or Reward Systems?” Communicative & Integrative Biology, U.S. National Library of Medicine, 25 Sept. 2015, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4802742/.
“The Axial Age.” The Axial Age, https://faculty.tnstate.edu/tcorse/H1210revised/axial_age.htm.
“Confucius: His Life, Times, and Legacy.” Confucius: His Life, Times, and Legacy | University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, https://www.utc.edu/health-education-and-professional-studies/asia-program/2018-ncta-teaching-modules/confucius#:~:text=Confucius%20(551%E2%80%93479%20BCE),and%20violent%20time%20in%20China.
Confucius: His Life, Times, and Legacy | University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.
www.utc.edu/health-education-and-professional-studies/asia-program/2018-ncta-teachin
-modules/confucius.
China Highlights. “What Are You Looking for China Highlights Travel?” China
Highlights - Since 1998!,
www.chinahighlights.com/travelguide/china-history/confucius.htm++https://english.visitbeijing.com.cn/article/47OMqqdYK2e.
Kapperman, J. (n.d.). Classic Asian Philosophy. Retrieved from https://platform.virdocs.com/r/s/0/doc/1480164/sp/181279047/mi/576178883?menu=index
Baumard, Nicolas, et al. “What Changed during the Axial Age: Cognitive Styles or Reward Systems?” Communicative & Integrative Biology, U.S. National Library of Medicine, 25 Sept. 2015, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4802742/.
“The Axial Age.” The Axial Age, https://faculty.tnstate.edu/tcorse/H1210revised/axial_age.htm.
“Confucius: His Life, Times, and Legacy.” Confucius: His Life, Times, and Legacy | University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, https://www.utc.edu/health-education-and-professional-studies/asia-program/2018-ncta-teaching-modules/confucius#:~:text=Confucius%20(551%E2%80%93479%20BCE),and%20violent%20time%20in%20China.
Confucius: His Life, Times, and Legacy | University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.
www.utc.edu/health-education-and-professional-studies/asia-program/2018-ncta-teachin
-modules/confucius.
China Highlights. “What Are You Looking for China Highlights Travel?” China
Highlights - Since 1998!,
www.chinahighlights.com/travelguide/china-history/confucius.htm++https://english.visitbeijing.com.cn/article/47OMqqdYK2e.
Kapperman, J. (n.d.). Classic Asian Philosophy. Retrieved from https://platform.virdocs.com/r/s/0/doc/1480164/sp/181279047/mi/576178883?menu=index
