The Politicalization Of Ethics And The Philosophicalization Of Ethics

Confucius(551B.C.-479B.C.)and Socrates(469B.C.₃99B.C.),each as one of thefounders of the western culture and oriental culture, they were the two of greatest menin the world .Their personalities together with their moral conduct and ideas, were ourvaluable spirit legacy. They not only had much in common in outer side; but also theyhad much more the same in their theory and ideas. However, they also had muchdifference under the same macroscopic background, these difference were regarded asthe source, so, they had a great effect on the later world. Many scholars had studied thesimilarities and differences since the 18th century. It was significant. In the new 21thcentury ,how to evaluate western culture and oriental culture is still a big academicproblem, we must build a systematical and sciencal viewpoint. Only real understandingof the essence of the two cultures, we can open our thought, then, it can enlighten us.This was significance of this study. Chapter one introduced all Confucius and Socrates' life. Confucius went in foreducation. He started the private education and accumulated much experiences. Hewas the founder of our ancien education. Socrates also worked on education all his life.They had much in common in their lives. of course, the biggest common was that theyboth were founders of the human civilization. Chapter two of the paper summarized Confucins' education aim and thepractice process as well as its characteristic and defect of the process. Confucins madeeducation lead to ethics and made ethics lead to political in his time. The practiceprocess was that he worked on education; instructed the humanity's expression. Itscharacteristic were: First, the knowledge about the humanity was instructed instead ofinspiring, second, the teacher was authoritative; third, teaching students in accordancewith their aptitude; fourth, inspiring and inducing; fifth, studying and thinking; sixth,extensive knowledge; seventh, studying and practising. Its defect was: Confuciusdidn't study the humanity's essence. Chapter three of the paper summarized Socrates' education aim and the practiceprocess as well as the characteristics and defects. Socrates made education lead toethics in his society. This was the same as Confucins'. But, Socrates made ethics leadto philosophy. His practice process was that he worked on education; debated theessence of virtue with otherman. Its characteristic were: First, inspiring was moreimportant than teaching; second, logic and reasoning; third, timely enquiring; fourth,accurately enquiring; fifth, the equality of teacher and student. Its defect was :ignoringthe student's reality and the way's single ;the student asked few of questions. Chapter four compared between Confucius and Socrates' education aim andtheir practice process. They had much in common, however, they also had muchdifference under the same macroscopic background. The paper compared these fromfive perspectives. first, the same way of resolving social problems: the educationalethics; however, the different value: ethic political and ethic philosophical; second, thesame aim of inspiring student: fostering student's thought; however, the different orderof inspiring: timely inspiring, learn by analogy and querying-reduction toabsurdity-rivision; third, the same teaching form: enquiring and talking; however, thedifferent way and principle: flexible and single; fourth, the same practice process:integration of theory and practice, however, the different educational result: theessential difference of penstock and waters; fifth, the same influence: their ideas andspirits are immortal, however, the different culture mind: humanism and sciencefiction. Chapter five of the paper has analyzed the reason of the similarity anddifference between Confucius and Socrates' education aims and the practice process.In the firstly, the paper analyzed their times and society, the same society made themhave much in common, but, the different style and feat made them have their owncharacteristic. Secondly, the paper analyzed their epistemolo...