I've recently been feeling like my analysis of the Analects don't really go deep enough, and I think that part of it might be that trying to analyze four at a time is too many. I've decided that from now on, I'll continue to read four verses at a time, but I'll only write about one or two of them. However, I'll explore those chosen verses more deeply than before.
Another form of systemization I'd …
Sorry for the late update on this one. I was originally intending to post every six chapters, but I ended up finishing Part I before I decided to post. I'll try to post more often.
This book is not dry. It's long, but it's not dry. It's all thanks to the characters: They're all so interesting and compelling. They almost seem like real people.
Anyway, the main bulk of the part took place at the …
I've been actively trying to be more respectful towards my parents and to other people. Not only have I tried applying the ideas of Confucius, but I also recently read an article about various forms of 'reciprocity,' that is, the transfer of goods and services between different kinds of relationships. There are three kinds of reciprocity: balanced, negative, and general. Balanced reciprocity is where people give with to another with the expectation of receiving a …
Finally, it's time to look at Book II of the Analects! I'm excited to see what this one has in store for me. According to the introduction, Book I was a general introduction to Confucianism, while Book II addresses 'general issues of governance.' So, I guess I'll get to see what Confucius thought of politics!
Both of these verses instruct you to lead by being steadfast in one's values. By being a beacon …
It's occurred to me that I may have been doing this endeavor incorrectly. I often try to pick out things to argue against in the Analects, which isn't how it's meant to be treated... I'm going to try and answer the question, 'How can I apply this to my life?' for each verse from now on.
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In this verse, Confucius asserts that 'trustworthiness,' which essentially means 'reliability' here, and 'reverence' are very important …
Last week, on July 7th, I wrote a reflection on verse 1.2 from the Analects, where I questioned Confucius's declaration that one's parents and elders should always be respected. Here is the relevant excerpt:
'I agree that a good person must be filial towards their parents and respectful towards elders... "‹However, I don't think that this is binding; if a parent is abusive, for instance, they don't deserve respect. I wonder what Confucius thinks …
Sometimes, I wish that the Analects had more reasoning behind them. The pieces of advice are good, I think, but they lack any support. I believe that most ancient tracts are like this, including Plato's Republic, which although often heralded as an iconic piece of classical reasoning and philosophy, lacks robust logical processes in supporting its points. Today, I reflected on verses 1.9-1.12.
This verse instructs readers to be respectful towards death and …
A place for me to blog my essays, random thoughts, and about the books I read.
