Values promoted by Plutarch and Confucius
What values do Plutarch and Confucius promote? What similarities and differences do you see in their moral and educational philosophies? How are those similarities and differences related to the history and structure of their respective societies and the problems of creating a common elite class culture to govern far-flung empires?
primary Sources:
Website: Confucius, Analects – http://classics.mit.edu/Confucius/analects.html (read Section 1 Parts 1 & 4 and Section 3 Parts 13 & 15)
http://classics.mit.edu/Confucius/analects.html
Website: Plutarch: The Training of Children, c. 110 CE – http://sourcebooks.fordham.edu/ancient/plutarch-education.asp (read 1-2, 8, 10-11, 17-18)
Plutarch of Chaeronea in Boeotia (ca. 45–120 CE) was a Platonist philosopher, best known to the general public as author of his “Parallel Lives” of paired Greek and Roman statesmen and military leaders. Plutarch promoted the free will values and the idea of immortal soul where he favored contemplation of religious and moral question instead of the abstract theoretical ones. He also promote monotheistic values. Confucius promoted the five constant values i.e. Humanity, rite, justice, integrity and knowledge. He based his moral and ethical philosophy on the Golden Rule: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.
