Confucius (551-479 B.C.E.) was the Chinese philosopher esteemed ...

[silviawilliams41]

Confucius (551-479 B.C.E.) was the Chinese philosopher esteemed as the Greatest Master.
 
  What were his teachings and why did he develop this philosophy?

Question 2

What is a social contract?
 
  Compare the ideas of Hobbes and Locke regarding the social contract.

[iman]

Answer to Question 1

- Confucius' teachings were aimed at bringing harmony to society through an emphasis on virtue.
- As with many political philosophers, Confucius' ideas were a direct response to the social conditions of his times, a period dominated by political confusion that would eventually lead (after his death) to the Period of the Warring States. Confucius was convinced that the only path out of this violent and chaotic state was by establishing a social order based on a commitment to humanity or benevolence, the conscientious practice of social customs, and the widespread adherence to moral principles.
- As a teacher, Confucius tried to effect political harmony by cultivating moral harmony within each individual.

Answer to Question 2

- Thomas Hobbes believed that humans are fundamentally predisposed to selfishness and destruction, living originally in a violent state of nature, unrestrained by laws or moral discipline. To improve their lives, humans agree to enter into social contracts, by which they surrender some of their personal autonomy to a governing authority in exchange for order and protection.
- John Locke, a contemporary of Hobbes, took a more optimistic view of human nature. Humans, he said, are governed by certain natural laws inherent to us as God's creation, including the rights to life, liberty, health, and property. A just society respects and protects each citizen's natural rights; humans willingly enter into social contracts in order to create a just society with a central authority. Unlike Hobbes, Locke believed that the authority of the state could be questioned, challenged, or even changed.