Confucius versus Aristotle and the similarities between Dao, or as it is presently known, Tao against eudaimonia, (happiness), and why these ideas are important to the study of ethics today Aristotle was one of the greatest philosophers in history. He was solely judged in terms of his philosophical influence and his only peer was Plato. Aristotle’s writings have proven to be difficult to understand to most novice readers, although his teachings in the Nicomachean Ethics and that of eudaimonia, happiness, are fairly easy to understand. Aristotle hallows happiness as the vital purpose of human life and a goal in itself.
His definition of happiness from the Nicomachean Ethics is “the function of man is to live a certain kind of life, and this activity implies a rational principle, and the function of a good man is the good and noble performance of these, and if any action is well performed it is performed in accord with the appropriate excellence: if this is the case, then happiness turns out to be an activity of the soul in accordance with virtue” (Nicomachean Ethics, Book 1 7). Aristotle devoted more time to the topic of happiness than any other thinker prior to modern day.
He believed that everything in nature has telos, a natural end or goal (Basham 86). Aristotle had a hierarchical view of nature as well. There are four different things that make up nature, mineral, vegetative, animal and human. The good for a human is different than that of an animal because of our capacities and potentials. Humans have a rational capacity and when exercised, our nature as human beings is perfected. This is why pleasure alone cannot produce human happiness. Animals seek pleasure and humans have higher capacities than animals. For a human, this would mean being a great person living a great life.
This is what Aristotle meant by the word eudaimonia. This word is often translated to mean happiness, but its closer definition might be “flourishing” or “an ideal life” (Basham 86). Eudaimonia is a Greek word translated as the state of having a good indwelling spirit or being in a contented state of being healthy, happy, and prosperous (Pennock 1). Moral philosophy, however, defines it as the right actions as those that result in the well being of an individual; eu meaning good and daimon meaning spirit (Pennock 1). However you define it, the well being of humans is an essential value.
Eudaimonia is more an objective state than a subjective state (Pennock 1). In laymen’s terms, it’s a well-lived life no matter what emotional state the individual is experiencing and to further simplify; eudaimonia focuses the personal happiness of an individual and their entire life at the nucleus of ethical concern. This word is central to Aristotle’s ethical views and political philosophy. Eudaimonia was key in Aristotle’s works and was a term used to describe the highest human good. Aristotle believed for a person to be truly happy it depended on the quality of the person and the quality of life they were living.
He believed a person should possess excellence of mind, body, and character (Basham 86). According to Aristotle to live this outstanding life, one must possess “external goods”, such as, good birth, many friends, ample wealth, and good health to name a few. All these things led to complete perfection of human nature and the enrichment of human life. He believed if a person lived this type of life up until death then they had indeed achieved telos, a natural end or goal, or “happy” (Basham 86). Happiness is dependent on the cultivation of virtue.
Aristotle had more individualistic ideas of virtues than that of Confucius with his ideas of social virtues. It is also the aim of practical philosophy, which includes ethics and political philosophy. He believed that happiness was the ultimate purpose for humans to exist. He referred to the lesser and greater good. The lesser good gave immediate pleasure and was more tempting, but with the greater good came pain and some sacrifice. He was extremely critical of a culture that wanted instant gratification. He believed the only way to achieve complete virtue was to make right choices and strive for the greater good.
He stated in the Nicomachean Ethics that “he is happy who lives in accordance with complete virtue and is sufficiently equipped with external goods, not for some chance period but throughout a complete life”. (Nicomachean Ethics 1101a10) Aristotle studied under Plato, who in turn studied under Socrates, who believed that humans desired the state of eudaimonia over anything else and that if we achieved justice, courage, self-control and wisdom eudaimonia could be attained. But virtue, which was a form of knowledge of good and evil, was equally necessary to obtain the ultimate good, eudaimonia, which was desirous of all human beings.
Aristotle stated in his Nicomachean Ethics, “Pericles and men like Pericles are held to be prudent, because they can see what is good, not only for themselves, but also for mankind in general”. Basically Aristotle believed that the highest form of human excellence was that of intellectual excellence, theoretical contemplation. He thought that if one spent much time thinking about the noblest things in the universe we could imitate gods and also their extremely blessed lives (Basham 86). Confucius on the other hand is one of the most influential philosophers in history.
He was better known in China as “Master Kong”. He was first and foremost a moral philosopher (Smith 60). He was instrumental in molding the Chinese minds and way of life. Ethical concepts are at the heart of Confucius’s teachings. He taught that the goal for individuals was to develop your personality until a perfect, true person was reached. He was a humanist in that his main focus was on practical human concerns and said very little about spiritual or the ultimate nature of reality (Basham 30).
It has been said that Confucius’s thoughts start with human life and reaches up to the Way of Heaven, but it has been proven that it was more about his ethical system where he works out the basic principles for wanted instant gratification. He believed the only way to achieve complete virtue was to make right choices and strive for the greater good. He stated in the Nicomachean Ethics that “he is happy who lives in accordance with complete virtue and is sufficiently equipped with external goods, not for some chance period but throughout a complete life”. Nicomachean Ethics 1101a10) Aristotle studied under Plato, who in turn studied under Socrates, who believed that humans desired the state of eudaimonia over anything else and that if we achieved justice, courage, self-control and wisdom eudaimonia could be attained. But virtue, which was a form of knowledge of good and evil, was equally necessary to obtain the ultimate good, eudaimonia, which was desirous of all human beings. Aristotle stated in his Nicomachean Ethics, “Pericles and men like Pericles are held to be prudent, because they can see what is good, not only for themselves, but also for mankind in general”.
Basically Aristotle believed that the highest form of human excellence was that of intellectual excellence, theoretical contemplation. He thought that if one spent much time thinking about the noblest things in the universe we could imitate gods and also their extremely blessed lives (Basham 86). Confucius on the other hand is one of the most influential philosophers in history. He was better known in China as “Master Kong”. He was first and foremost a moral philosopher (Smith 60). He was instrumental in molding the Chinese minds and way of life. Ethical concepts are at the heart of Confucius’s teachings.
He taught that the goal for individuals was to develop your personality until a perfect, true person was reached. He was a humanist in that his main focus was on practical human concerns and said very little about spiritual or the ultimate nature of reality (Basham 30). It has been said that Confucius’s thoughts start with human life and reaches up to the Way of Heaven, but it has been proven that it was more about his ethical system where he works out the basic principles for his Way of Man, Tao (Smith 61). Dao is defined as Way, the meaning of one’s life.
Daoism is a religious or philosophical Chinese tradition, which emphasizes living in harmony with the Tao. Daoism denotes the principle that is the source, pattern and substance of everything that exists. It boasts of effortless action being natural, simple and spontaneous. To go further, it also characterized by a positive, active attitude toward the occult and the metaphysical or the theories on the nature of reality. It has also been defined as “Nature”, which means the whole universe, including everything within the universe as it proceeds on course uninterrupted (Bahm 18).
Confucius is known as a traditional deity in Daoism. Daoism or Taoism has been instrumental in shaping Chinese lives for more than 2000 years. Confucius’ followers used the term to dictate the way human beings should behave in society. Confucius believed it was the pattern or ideal in which men that are wise will seek to emulate. “The Way”, tao, as Confucius described in the Analects is the way a man ought to travel because it is ordained by Heaven to do it. Basically, the Way of Heaven becomes the Way of Man because wise and good men follow it by seeking to conform their conduct to the will of Heaven (Smith 65).
It was this “Way” that Confucius learnt for himself as well as taught. He emphasized love, righteousness, propriety and wisdom, which have become the principal virtues of the Confucian ethics. Confucius taught that this is the ‘way’ in which all men must follow if they hope to attain human perfection. He believed that Heaven didn’t only provide the ‘way’ for men to walk, but also bestowed them with a nature, which was basically good (Smith 65). It was this concept of the Way of Heaven’ that is central to Confucius’s teachings that his main ideal of manhood was the holy sages.
These holy sages followed the ‘way’ in so much that they achieved divine status. Achievement was not the focal point for Confucius though; it was more the actual practice of the ‘way’ in political and social life. In doing so, these sage-kings developed a standard of behavior, a code of conduct for all men to follow. Confucius believed that all men who would seek the ‘way’ and the virtues that were taught are had the character and conduct of a true gentleman (Smith 65). He was trying to produce nobleman with character who could take their place in society because of inner peace and poise that was reflected in moderation and with good manners.