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Hsun-Tzu Vs Confucius

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Philosophers began to flourish in China as education and literacy spread. Three of the greatest philosophers to emerge during this era were Confucius, Mencius, and Hsun-Tzu. Incidentally, Confucius thought of himself as a transmitter of old culture and not the creator of a new one. He appreciated the futility of speaking higher things to those who were below him. As a result, he was fond of consulting with his students as his peers despite his immense knowledge. Mencius and Hsun-Tzu borrowed heavily from his teachings. Expectedly, they had much in common concerning the teachings of Confucius. On the other hand, they disagreed on a number of fundamental teachings. This paper compares and contrasts the two philosophers’ approaches to Confucianism. In essence, the two philosophers disagree on human nature while they agree with the assertion that all human beings are capable of becoming sages. It is worth noting that Confucianism focuses on the human quest for perfection of moral character. While both Mencius and Hsun Tzu were avowed Confucians, the held opposing views concerning human nature. The two …show more content…

While Mencius argued for the goodness of man, Tzu held that men were inherently evil. On the other hand, the two philosophers’ ideas appear to converge on the idea of the possibility of man attaining the status of the sage through instruction, guidance, and the direction of the heart. In essence, both philosophers have consistent arguments that support their stances. They use real-life examples to demonstrate the support they have for their points of view. Their social and political thoughts converge when they argue for the importance of government in the lives of the people. Nevertheless, even though both Mencius and Tzu were avowed followers of the teachings of Confucius, Tzu appears to give a more robust defense of the doctrine than his compatriot

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