The Pre-Socratics-1
I will look at both the East and West for Pre-Socratics. In this Blog I will talk about Science and Technology and Chinese philosophers.
While the Greeks, Indians and Chinese started to develop grammar around 400 B.C , the most remarkable were the Greek and Indian Grammars. The former exemplified in Plato's and Aristotle's works and the latter by Panini's Aṣṭādhyāyī
I will take a quick look at the following aspects of Philosophy.
1. Science and Cosmology
2. What is Good life?
3. Morality and Ethics
4. Political Organisation
5. Role of philosophy
6. God
Chinese astronomy started way back in about 1200 B,C with the observation of celestial phenomena and categorisation of stars. In India science can be said to have started with Indus Valley Civilization (c. 2500–1900 BCE).
In talking of science we are interested in
1. The cause of natural phenomena
2. Constitution of matter
3. The methods (such as Scientific Method)
There is evidence to suggest that systems of units, observational astronomy ,use of Hindu-Arabic numerals , mathematics in general were wide spread in India before the Mughal era. The claim that Modern Cosmology supports Indian Time Scale ( of Chaturyugas , KaliYuga ..) is not well supported not withstanding Carl Sagan's enthusiasm.
There is enquiry into the causes of natural phenomena in ancient India. Subhash Kak[3] comes closest to constitution of matter "; a further four, earth, water, fire, and air are atomic composed of indivisible, and indestructible atoms;" There does not seem to be an enquiry into what causes the sun and moon to move.
The Chinese were quite advanced in technologies like printing but it appears they were inhibited by culture from enquiring into what causes movement of cosmological bodies
The Pre-Socratic Greeks are considered the first Scientists . They enquired into "How did the ordered cosmos in which we live come to be?'. Democritus was the first to formulate the Atomic Theory of the Universe. Most of the current methods of critical analysis have originated in the Socratic dialogues as recorded by Plato. The Pre-Socratic Greeks were well up on science and technology of their period. The Greeks were among the first to lay down proper methods to arrive at valid conclusions . Epicurus was probably the first to lay down rules for inquiry in Physics.
Among the Chinese philosophers most remarkable is Confucius. According to [6] "Confucianism, along with Legalism, is responsible for creating the world’s first meritocracy, which holds that one's status should be determined by education and character rather than ancestry, wealth, or friendship."
Confucianism a system of moral, social, political, and religious thought that influenced and continues to influence Chinese thought. According to [7] " The tradition of Chinese ethical thought is centrally concerned with questions about how one ought to live: what goes into a worthwhile life, how to weigh duties toward family versus duties toward strangers, whether human nature is predisposed to be morally good or bad, how one ought to relate to the non-human world ..."
The Chinese philosophers were more concerned with practical, moral and political problems than meta-physical speculation. They were more concerned with worldly affairs.
As in other traditions there are at-least five schools of Chinese philosophy- Confucianism, Taoism, Legalism, Buddhism and Mohism. We will summarise Confucianism, being the most important and dominant school.
One look at Analects will and you cannot help thinking of parallels to Socrates!
Confucius lived in about the 5th century B.C
Jen (wren) is concerned with human values, goodness, benevolence, humanity towards others and self-esteem.The first principle of Confucianism is to act according to jen: it is the ultimate guide to human action. It further believes man can perfect himself, the man of jen will sacrifice his life to preserve jen.
Li (lee) is the principle of gain, benefit, order, propriety and a concrete guide to human action. As in many other cultures proper action is the way between the extremes. The Five Relationships prescribe norms of behaviour for example a ruler should be benevolent and subjects loyal. Confucius recognised that every action affects someone else. So there are limits to individuality
Yi (yee) or moral righteousness says actions ought to be performed for the sole reason that they are right. The action is done as a good-in-itself, not as a means to an end (such as pleasing the boss).
Hsiao (showe) advocates filial piety and reverence.
Chih (chee) is the source of this virtue is knowledge of right and wrong. Chih is added to Confucianism by Mencius (muhn shoos) who believed that people are basically born good.
Chun-tzu (choon dzuh) is the concept of the ideal man. He is beyond personal ambition, intelligent and without fear, values personal relations the most and is virtuous.
Te (day) advocates the rule by power of moral example (the whole art of government consists in the art of being honest).
A few excepts from Analects - a collection of the ideas of Confucius compiled by his followers.
Lunyu 1.3
The Master said, "Fine words and an insinuating appearance are seldom associated with true virtue."
Lunyu 2.3
The Master said, "If the people be led by laws, and uniformity sought to be given them by punishments, they will try to avoid the punishment, but have no sense of shame. If they be led by virtue, and uniformity sought to be given them by the rules of propriety, they will have the sense of shame, and moreover will become good."
Rulers ought to be righteous themselves for subjects to obey.
Lunyu 2.15
The Master said, "Learning without thought is labor lost; thought without learning is perilous."
Right balance of learning and thinking or learning by critical analysis!
Lunyu 7.1
The Master said, "A transmitter and not a maker, believing in and loving the ancients, I venture to compare myself with our old Peng."
meaning that he was only bringing forward what the ancients had already said.
Lunyu 7.8
The Master said, "I do not open up the truth to one who is not eager to get knowledge, nor help out any one who is not anxious to explain himself. When I have presented one corner of a subject to any one, and he cannot from it learn the other three, I do not repeat my lesson."
Teach the deserving and the eager.
Lunyu 3.13
Wang Sun Jia asked, saying, "What is the meaning of the saying, 'It is better to pay court to thefurnace than to the southwest corner?'" The Master said, "Not so. He who offends against Heaven has none to whom he can pray."
Confucius advocated offerings to Heaven
Lunyu 13.6
The Master said, "When a prince's personal conduct is correct, his government is effective without the issuing of orders. If his personal conduct is not correct, he may issue orders, but they will not be followed."
Firm belief in the probity of rulers.
Lunyu 13.27
The Master said, "The firm, the enduring, the simple, and the modest are near to virtue."
References
1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_science_in_early_cultures
2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_science_and_technology_in_the_Indian_subcontinent
3. http://www.ece.lsu.edu/kak/grolier.pdf
4. http://www.crystalinks.com/chinascience.html
5. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_scientific_method
6. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_philosophy
7. http://www.ancient.eu/Chinese_Philosophy/
8. http://www.philosophybasics.com/general_eastern_chinese.html
9. http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/ethics-chinese/
I will take a quick look at the following aspects of Philosophy.
1. Science and Cosmology
2. What is Good life?
3. Morality and Ethics
4. Political Organisation
5. Role of philosophy
6. God
Chinese astronomy started way back in about 1200 B,C with the observation of celestial phenomena and categorisation of stars. In India science can be said to have started with Indus Valley Civilization (c. 2500–1900 BCE).
In talking of science we are interested in
1. The cause of natural phenomena
2. Constitution of matter
3. The methods (such as Scientific Method)
There is evidence to suggest that systems of units, observational astronomy ,use of Hindu-Arabic numerals , mathematics in general were wide spread in India before the Mughal era. The claim that Modern Cosmology supports Indian Time Scale ( of Chaturyugas , KaliYuga ..) is not well supported not withstanding Carl Sagan's enthusiasm.
There is enquiry into the causes of natural phenomena in ancient India. Subhash Kak[3] comes closest to constitution of matter "; a further four, earth, water, fire, and air are atomic composed of indivisible, and indestructible atoms;" There does not seem to be an enquiry into what causes the sun and moon to move.
The Chinese were quite advanced in technologies like printing but it appears they were inhibited by culture from enquiring into what causes movement of cosmological bodies
The Pre-Socratic Greeks are considered the first Scientists . They enquired into "How did the ordered cosmos in which we live come to be?'. Democritus was the first to formulate the Atomic Theory of the Universe. Most of the current methods of critical analysis have originated in the Socratic dialogues as recorded by Plato. The Pre-Socratic Greeks were well up on science and technology of their period. The Greeks were among the first to lay down proper methods to arrive at valid conclusions . Epicurus was probably the first to lay down rules for inquiry in Physics.
Among the Chinese philosophers most remarkable is Confucius. According to [6] "Confucianism, along with Legalism, is responsible for creating the world’s first meritocracy, which holds that one's status should be determined by education and character rather than ancestry, wealth, or friendship."
Confucianism a system of moral, social, political, and religious thought that influenced and continues to influence Chinese thought. According to [7] " The tradition of Chinese ethical thought is centrally concerned with questions about how one ought to live: what goes into a worthwhile life, how to weigh duties toward family versus duties toward strangers, whether human nature is predisposed to be morally good or bad, how one ought to relate to the non-human world ..."
The Chinese philosophers were more concerned with practical, moral and political problems than meta-physical speculation. They were more concerned with worldly affairs.
As in other traditions there are at-least five schools of Chinese philosophy- Confucianism, Taoism, Legalism, Buddhism and Mohism. We will summarise Confucianism, being the most important and dominant school.
One look at Analects will and you cannot help thinking of parallels to Socrates!
Confucius lived in about the 5th century B.C
Jen (wren) is concerned with human values, goodness, benevolence, humanity towards others and self-esteem.The first principle of Confucianism is to act according to jen: it is the ultimate guide to human action. It further believes man can perfect himself, the man of jen will sacrifice his life to preserve jen.
Li (lee) is the principle of gain, benefit, order, propriety and a concrete guide to human action. As in many other cultures proper action is the way between the extremes. The Five Relationships prescribe norms of behaviour for example a ruler should be benevolent and subjects loyal. Confucius recognised that every action affects someone else. So there are limits to individuality
Yi (yee) or moral righteousness says actions ought to be performed for the sole reason that they are right. The action is done as a good-in-itself, not as a means to an end (such as pleasing the boss).
Hsiao (showe) advocates filial piety and reverence.
Chih (chee) is the source of this virtue is knowledge of right and wrong. Chih is added to Confucianism by Mencius (muhn shoos) who believed that people are basically born good.
Chun-tzu (choon dzuh) is the concept of the ideal man. He is beyond personal ambition, intelligent and without fear, values personal relations the most and is virtuous.
Te (day) advocates the rule by power of moral example (the whole art of government consists in the art of being honest).
A few excepts from Analects - a collection of the ideas of Confucius compiled by his followers.
Lunyu 1.3
The Master said, "Fine words and an insinuating appearance are seldom associated with true virtue."
Lunyu 2.3
The Master said, "If the people be led by laws, and uniformity sought to be given them by punishments, they will try to avoid the punishment, but have no sense of shame. If they be led by virtue, and uniformity sought to be given them by the rules of propriety, they will have the sense of shame, and moreover will become good."
Rulers ought to be righteous themselves for subjects to obey.
Lunyu 2.15
The Master said, "Learning without thought is labor lost; thought without learning is perilous."
Right balance of learning and thinking or learning by critical analysis!
Lunyu 7.1
The Master said, "A transmitter and not a maker, believing in and loving the ancients, I venture to compare myself with our old Peng."
meaning that he was only bringing forward what the ancients had already said.
Lunyu 7.8
The Master said, "I do not open up the truth to one who is not eager to get knowledge, nor help out any one who is not anxious to explain himself. When I have presented one corner of a subject to any one, and he cannot from it learn the other three, I do not repeat my lesson."
Teach the deserving and the eager.
Lunyu 3.13
Wang Sun Jia asked, saying, "What is the meaning of the saying, 'It is better to pay court to thefurnace than to the southwest corner?'" The Master said, "Not so. He who offends against Heaven has none to whom he can pray."
Confucius advocated offerings to Heaven
Lunyu 13.6
The Master said, "When a prince's personal conduct is correct, his government is effective without the issuing of orders. If his personal conduct is not correct, he may issue orders, but they will not be followed."
Firm belief in the probity of rulers.
Lunyu 13.27
The Master said, "The firm, the enduring, the simple, and the modest are near to virtue."
References
1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_science_in_early_cultures
2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_science_and_technology_in_the_Indian_subcontinent
3. http://www.ece.lsu.edu/kak/grolier.pdf
4. http://www.crystalinks.com/chinascience.html
5. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_scientific_method
6. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_philosophy
7. http://www.ancient.eu/Chinese_Philosophy/
8. http://www.philosophybasics.com/general_eastern_chinese.html
9. http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/ethics-chinese/
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