Philosophy

Philosophy

Formulation of Ethics and Family Education in the Philosophy of Mencius

Document Type : Scientific-research

Author
ali aqajani
Assistant Professor, Department of Political Science, Research Institute of Social Sciences, “Houze” and “University” Research Institute, Qom, Iran.
10.22059/jop.2023.354031.1006768
Abstract
Based on the theoretical framework of the paradigm, in response to the question of what are the foundations and approaches of ethics and family education in the philosophy of ancient China and Mencius in particular, it proposes the hypothesis that Mencius in the Confucian intellectual system, but with the innovation of the paradigm (model) and in the light of it, he has had a more spiritual approach in the analysis of ethics and upbringing, moral rules, the network of the moral system and the virtues of the family system. He has a stronger and more transparent metaphysical approach and a great emphasis on human goodness, which is very frequent and effective in educational and moral issues. From his point of view, the relationship between husband and wife is the beginning of all human relationships and has a major contribution to the peace of society. According to Mencius, harmony between husband and wife, kind treatment of children, division of labor and continuation of service to parents after death are important aspects of family. The behavior of the government in such a way that people can easily form a family; The relationship between kindness to the child and his conscientiousness and order in the country; Determining domestic affairs by the wife and business affairs by the husband; strict father and kind mother; not publicizing parents' mistakes; and graded love and affection with family priority; The findings of the research. Mencius is an ethical philosopher who thinks within the Confucian tradition; But in ontology, it has a more and more transparent metaphysical approach; Therefore, he clearly ties ethics and education and its foundations, especially in the family, with the sky and makes it relatively spiritual, then links it with the field of politics. According to Mencius, nature is the source of ethics and all ethics are intertwined in nature. In anthropology, he places great emphasis on human goodness and believes that the sense of distinguishing between right and wrong is common to all human beings. According to his point of view, the goodness of nature is internal and is not imposed from outside, and it arises from the active and spontaneous power of nature, and the neglect of goodness is due to forgetfulness and lack of thinking. According to Mencius, the four virtues of piety, wisdom, knowledge, and benevolence are among the virtues that family upbringing and ethics play an essential role in creating and nurturing. In philosophy, Mencius believes in the continuity of the individual, family and government and sees a linear relationship between them. He believes that the root of the country is in the family and the root of the family is in the individual. Layered or dubious love and affection, which has different degrees and ranks, and love for family, relatives, and relatives is at the center of it, is the focal point that passionately motivated him to criticize the competing views of the Confucian school and outline his theoretical foundations; An effort that is based on two foundations: 1. Negation of speculation and action for oneself or piety for its inherent goodness; and 2. The innateness and naturalness of love is stable. (results).
Keywords
Family
Ethics and Education
Philosophy of Mencius
Moral-Educational Rules and System
Layered and Graded Affection and Love
Ancient Chinese Political Philosophy
Small Government Family
Subjects
Alam, Abdurrahman (1998), Ancient Chinese Political Thought, Tehran: Bureau of Political and International Studies. (In Persian)
Aqajani, Ali (2023), “Comparative study of moral virtue in the philosophy of Mencius and Farabi”, Islamic Philosophy and Theology, 56 (1), 61-79, doi: 10.22059/jitp.2023.359129.523411. (In Persian)
Aqajani, Ali (2023), “Formulation of the system and levels of ethics in the political philosophy of Mencius”, Mirror of Knowledge, 23 (1), 113-136. doi: 10.48308/jipt.2023.103495. (In Persian)
Askarizadeh, Flora; Poyafar, Ehsan; Miri, Sidjavad (2018), “Interpretation of Confucian thought with a focus on Heideggerian phenomenology with an emphasis on the implications of education and training”, Basic Western Science, Spring and Summer, Year 10, No. 1, 119-139. (In Persian)
Badkobeh Hezaveh, Vahid, Kishani, Ezzat A..., Teteani, Omid, Masoumi, Ali, & Badkobeh Hezaveh, Maleeha (2014), “Reviewing the history of education with an emphasis on Confucianism in ancient China with a view on contemporary China”, Research in humanities education, 1, 12-17.  (In Persian)
Chalmers; Alan F. (1999), Chisti Alam, translated by Saeed Ziba Kalam, Tehran, Semit. (In Persian) 
Chen, Li Fu (1994), The Way of Confucius, translated by Gitti Waziri, Vol. 1 and 2, Mashhad, Astan Quds Razavi. (In Persian)
Ching, Julia (2004), Religions of China, translated by Hamidreza Arshadhi, Tehran, Center for the Recognition of Islam and Iran. (In Persian)
Cohen, Thomas S. (1990), the structure of scientific revolutions, translated by Ahmad Aram, Tehran, Soroush. (In Persian)
Confucius (1996), Conversations, translated by Hossein Kazemzadeh Iranshahr, Ch6, Tehran, scientific and cultural. (In Persian)
Creel, H.J. (2001), Confucius and the Chinese Way, Tehran, Soroush. (In Persian)
 Elbert D.Thomas (1927), Chinese Political thought: a study based upon the theories of the principal thinkers of the chou period, New Yourk, Prentice Hall..
Emami, Amirhossein (2019), “Education from the perspective of Confucius”, the third international conference on modern researches in psychology, social sciences, educational and educational sciences, https://civilica.com/doc/1168392. (In Persian) 
  Fayoumi, Ahmad (B.T.), al-Masbah al-Munir fi Gharib al-Sharh al-Kabeer by Rafa’i, Qom, Dar al-Razi. (In Persian) 
Ghasemabadi Karmi Ranjbar, Zahra; Tajdari, Mohammad Hassan (2022), “Historical Course of Education in Ancient China”, Psychological Studies and Educational Sciences, Autumn, N. 43, 35- 56. (In Persian)
  Ghorbani Ranjabari, Fatemeh (2012), King without crown and gem of education: social education from the point of view of Chinese sage Confucius, Tehran, Nameh Parsi. (In Persian)
H.H.Rowley (1965), Prophey and Religion in Ancient China and Israel, London, Athlone.
Ibn Athir al-Jazri, Mubarak (Bita), The End of Hadith and Al-Athar, Volume 2, Qom, Ismailian Press Institute. (In Persian)
Ibn Manzoor, Abul Fazl (1993), Lasan al-Arab, Vol. 10, Ch. 3, Beirut Dar al-Fakr and Dar Sadir. (In Persian)
Jacques (1983), Moral Philosophy, translated by Abul Qasem Pourhosseini, Tehran: Amir Kabir. (In Persian)  
Jai, Chu and Weinberg Jai (2007), History of Ancient Chinese Philosophy; A. Pashai, Tehran, Ch1, Maziar. (In Persian) 
Kayaninejad, Ezra (2014), “Confucian's Civilization Method: What Lessons Can Be Learned?”, Iranian Islamic Model of Progress Conference, 4th session, 6525-6533.  (In Persian) 
Kyu Lee, Jeong (N.D), Educational Philosophy and Happiness Principle of Plato and Mencius, in https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED603176.pdf.
Menius (1970), the works of Mencis, Iames Legge, New Yourk.
Mojtabaei, Fathullah (2016), “Education and education from the perspective of Saadi and Confucius”, Saadiology, Spring, No. 3, 20-26.  (In Persian) 
Mousheng. Lin, (1942), Men and Ideas, Washigton, Kennikat press/port.
Nouri, Marjan, Shahangian, Nouri Sadat (2021), “Investigation of the main concepts of the Neo-Confucian ethical-cosmic system”, Javidan Khard, 18 (40), 291-314. doi: 10.22034/iw.2022.315430.1588. (In Persian)
Peyroviyan, William (2002), The Evolution of Political Thought in the Ancient East, Tehran, Side. (In Persian)
Ragheb Esfahani, Hussein (2021), Al-Qur'an Vocabulary, vol. 1, Lebanon - Syria, Dar al-Alam - Al Dar al Shamiya. (In Persian)
Rahimi Thabet, Siddiqa (2021), “Human Dignity in Islam and Non-Abrahamic Religions (Buddhism, Confucius, Daoism)”, Maraft Magazine, March, No. 291, 69- 78. (In Persian)
Rajaei, Farhang (1993), Evolution of Political Thought in the Ancient East, Tehran, Quds. (In Persian) 
Salimi, Laden; Mehdinia, Masoumeh (2022), “Evaluation of Confucius' educational ideas for use in education”, New Achievements in Humanities Studies, August 1402, Year 6, No. 63, 86-100.  (In Persian)
Tan, Charlene (2018), Mencius’ extension of moral feelings: implications for cosmopolitan education, Ethics and Education, October, 14 (1), 1-14.
Tao, Jiang (2020), “Ambivalence of Family and Disunity of Virtues in Mencius; Political Philosophy Profile image of Tao Jiang”, Journal of Confucian Philosophy and Culture.
Tareehi, Fakhreddin (1995), Al-Bahrain Assembly, Vol. 5, Ch. 3, Tehran, Mortazavi Bookstore. (In Persian)
Toosi, Khwaja Nasiruddin (1364), Ehlak Naseri, revised by Mojtabi Minavi, vol. 1, Tehran: Khwarazmi. (In Persian)
 Weber, Max, (1946), the Religion of China: Canfucianism and Taoism, New York , free.
Wee, Cecilia, (2007), “Hsun Tzu on Family and Familial Relations”, 127-139, Published online: 12 Jul 2007, https://www.tandfonline.com/doi.
Yi, Fuxian, (2020), “The Rise and Fall of Confucian Family Values”, fuxianyi April 30, 2021, https://ifstudies.org.
Yu-Lan, Fang (2001), History of Chinese Philosophy, translated by Farid Javaherkalam, Tehran, Farzan. (In Persian)
Zailin, Zhang, and Zhang Shaoqian (2009), “Theories of Family in Ancient Chinese Philosophy”, Frontiers of Philosophy in China, Vol. 4, No. 3, 343-359.

  • Receive Date 21 January 2023
  • Revise Date 15 March 2023
  • Accept Date 09 April 2023