Good Confucianism book (pdf) - Department of Physics

Terms, and Mozi 73one the money to get these things. Musical performances are only for theamusement of the upper classes, who waste their time instead of governing,and music gives nothing at all to ordinary people. Music, as it was often performedfor the wealthy of his time, wasted money. Musicians, orchestras,dancers, and musical instruments had to be brought together and paid for.All of this expense gave only a transitory pleasure. Mozi says that music, initself, is pleasant enough, but not worth the time and money wasted on it.Music is a private pleasure, enjoyed by the few at the expense of the many.He says that the ancient sages established government, palaces, clothes,and so on that were sufficient and economical; only later were luxuries likemusic invented. Mozi equates music and luxury. 30As Music Masters in some of the courts and as scholars trained in musicas part of their education, Confucians then had to defend music againstMozi and his followers.The Mohist 31 school became the largest school of the Warring Statesperiod. Like Confucians, they would have stood out because of their dress,but in the case of the Mohists, their clothing was simple and inexpensive.Unlike some other schools, the Mohists were indeed an organized group.The Mohists were not only organized, but clearly hierarchical: the leaderof the Mohists, beginning with Mozi, was called a Supreme Master (therewere three after Mozi). The Supreme Master had the power to executeanyone in the group who violated Mohist rules. There were many rulesand regulations for the members and total obedience was demanded. Thiswas based on Mozi ’ s “ agreement with the superior ” ideas. The school wasorganized as a quasi - military group. Despite this, or perhaps because of it,over time the Mohist school split into three sub - groups.Even though they made up the largest school of the Warring States era,the Mohists never achieved their aims. Their ideas were too radical for anupper class that enjoyed its luxury. Their religious sanctions did not scarerulers or the upper class. The great achievement of the Mohists was theway in which they changed the rules of debate, discussing the nature oflanguage, setting up rules of logic, and making all other thinkers argue fortheir positions.Mozi and his followers talked a lot about disputation or argumentationas a way to arrive at the truth. This is the beginning of not only rationalargumentation, but also the self - conscious notion that one is arguing andthat there are proper ways to do it. Argument became a mode of combatused to convince rulers of the right way to act and to defeat one ’ s intellectualenemies. Later Mohists would continue to pursue these issues andwould influence the form of argumentation to come.After the death of Confucius we see a number of scholars or would - bebureaucrats, each with their own approach to solving the problems of thetime. The followers of Confucius formed groups based on teachers and