The Study Of Confucian Filial Piety From The Perspective Of Virtue Ethics

How to understand and interpret the connotation and value purport of the virtue of ’filial piety’is one of the major theoretical subjects of contemporary society unable to avoid. Through the perspective of virtue ethics, this paper would explore the relationship between filial piety and propriety, righteousness, benevolence, in order to explain the virtue of filial piety from its generation, composition, practice wisdom and value ideal these four aspects. In this research framework, we could reunderstand ’hiding relatives’wrong’, examine the contemporary situation of Confucian filial piety, and reveal the theoretical and realistic significance of this research framework.In our opinion, only through the perspective of virtue ethics, can we gain a deeper understanding of the connotation and value of filial piety? And dimensions of composition of filial piety’s four aspects, social customs, moral emotions and moral wisdom, could also be clearly presented on that basis. Moreover, though the internal connections of filial piety and propriety, righteousness, benevolence, we could therefore exactly realize the meaning and value of filial piety in Confucian ethical system. Around the theme and objective above, this paper is divided into five interrelated parts.In the first chapter, we discuss the contemporary context of Confucian filial piety, and explain the reasons for selecting the perspective of virtue ethics. Problems that contemporary filial piety encounters in text and reality need to be analyzed through interpreting the content of virtue of Confucian filial piety. And this also offers filial piety an opportunity to be rediscovered and used. To study the fundamental issues of filial piety can reveal its theory value of study. Two points are made for the reason of why we use the views of virtue ethics:one is that visual threshold of virtue ethics is consistent with Confucian ethical system; another reason is that the perspectives of deontology and utilitarianism inevitably cause a series of problems. Only the interpretation of filial piety under the perspective of virtue ethics can avoid the problems of normative ethics, and stay in accordance line with the spirit of Confucianism.The second part illustrates the moral connotation and value of filial piety from the perspective of generation. Filial piety is a stable quality, based on natural affection and long-term striving for virtues. This chapter mainly discusses the value and significance of propriety and abilities of developing virtue during the formation of filial piety, in order to demonstrate the connotation of virtue of the filial piety. Analyzing the functions of distinguishing, normalizing and open features of the ritual would help us to find how the virtue of filial piety is generated, and how the ritual is well carried out throughout the practice. This part presents static constitution of virtue of filial piety, as social customs as well. As the Confucian usually describes quality from the beginning of cultivating, so the virtue of filial piety also needs capabilities of cultivating, like learning, aspiring, introspection, restraint to be applied and realized. Therefore, the virtue of filial piety not only contains normalization of ritual, but also the initiative and creativity of internal striving for virtues.About constitution of the virtue of filial piety, I mainly refer to Jiyuan Yu’s discussion on the analysis of’constitutes of virtues’, which by means of comparison Confucius virtue ethics with Aristotle’s. To be specific, they are social customs, moral emotions and practical wisdom. After the second chapter, the illustration of generation and cultivation of filial piety can present a certain constituents of filial piety, particularly social customs. For moral wisdom, the fourth chapter will have more details with the pointcut of’hiding relatives’wrong’.Although these three components are arranged separately in different chapters, every part composes an organic whole and highlights one point.The third chapter focuses on moral sense which content of filial piety. We analyze moral sense into the original filial piety, compassion, thanksgiving, respect and love, duty and friendly affection. These six kinds of moral sense respectively are discussed on their important roles in the virtue of filial piety, which shows this stability of moral emotion plays the internally dominant role in the practice of filial piety. The moral sense can make people have tendency of consciousness and behavior habits for the practice of filial piety. Moreover, in contrast to role ethics, the importance of moral sense for quality to become a core in virtue ethics would be further illustrated. The respect of role ethics for filial piety is not appropriate to Confucian. Because it ignores Confucian’s concern on the true feeling and real intention out of moral subjects, the procedural generation of the virtue of filial piety, and the value of striving for virtues in this process.In the forth chapter I would discuss the main views which Qiyong Guo and Xiaomang Deng hold in the contention of’hiding relatives’wrong’, and explain the character of’righteousness’as filial piety constituent. Mr. Guo may miss the text analysis of the’straight’, and hence ignore the ability of’righteousness’in the specific situation, which Confucius emphasizes. Righteousness can make filial piety expressed appropriately which conforms to the spirit of rationalism and differentiates from ’people eat mutually’with no boundaries. Remonstrating with parents, pro-shun and concealment of wrong doing among family members could be regarded as three dimensions elaborating Confucian filial piety. In order to further discuss the relationship between righteousness and filial piety, to analyze the attitudes, ways and actions in the problem of "not dare to debate for good" would reflect rich connotation of practical wisdom in Confucian thought. Righteousness can make us have appropriate and reasonable choice about filial piety in different moral situations.The virtue of filial piety has its ethical range and boundaries. In our real life, filial piety and other virtues or social justice inevitably have conflicts, although they are consistent most of the time. Faced with these conflicts, we can not solve all the problems by practicing Confucian filial piety. In Confucian opinion, righteousness is the necessary ability to deal with these conflicts in specific situations. Although Confucian cares pure and simple affections of people, it isn’t therefore regarded as principle dealing with any problems. If it far from the benevolence and righteousness, in the Confucian view, it also does not have the virtue of filial piety.The moral purport of filial piety is the main theme in the fifth chapter. By discussing the conflict between filial piety and’benevolence’, we explore the possibility and reality of the analogy, and point out the value of filial piety is beyond family relationship and it is the’benevolence’that floods the Heaven. Firstly, we would reveal the core and meaning of’benevolence’in Confucian ethics, state the status of filial piety in the Confucian, and instruct the effective range and boundary of virtue of filial piety. In the Confucian view, the virtue of filial piety rises to the practice of ethical emotion activities, including love others, society and the nature. In this sense, ’benevolence’ runs though the virtue of filial piety, and the virtue activity of filial piety contains the Confucian ideal construction.In these five chapters, the first part is to introduce the reality of contemporary, research thought and strcuture. The second chapter explains the moral connotation of filial piety from the dimension of generation. In the third part, we could know the value of filial piety from its virtue constituents. The fourth chapter is to discuss how to deal with important practical issue for filial piety, so as to stress ’righteousness’ in the virtue of filial piety. The last part elaborates the value ideal and significance of filial piety in the system of Confucian ethics.