Confucius’ Analysis of the Human Nature of Irrationality and His Quest for Moral Education

Abstract

This study uses mainly Confucian classic Lunyu to explore Confucius’ insightful thinking about humans’ strong innate nature of irrationality out of their physical needs. Irrationality causes interpersonal disturbances and chaos, and as such moral education is indispensable. Confucius advocated humanity, the principles of conscientiousness and charity, to help people’s instinct work in a rational way by managing their irrational desires. To achieve rational behavior, Confucius taught his students Six Classics, namely Shijing (classic of poetry), Shujing (classic of history), Lijing (book of ritual), Yijing (classic of changes), Yuejing (classic of music) and Chunqiu (annals of spring and autumn). By mastering these classics, a person could inculcate in himself a rational character through self-discipline and self-indoctrination. This study reveals humans have great potentials to redirect their innate irrational behavior towards a rational state through moral education