La Verdad Christian College-Apalit

College of Bachelor of Science in Accountancy and Accounting Information System

Philosophical View of Ethics

of

Submitted by: Submitted to:

Zanel L. Sangcal Prislen Rosales Prof. Mary Ann Cruz, MBA

Ira Marie Rizan Kaila Serrano Faculty Adviser, Ethics
BSA-1 BSAIS-1
I. Who is Confucius?
Confucius was born on September 28, 551 in Qufu, China and he was a self-educated
youth raised by poor family. He was a Chinese philosopher, teacher, and a political figure. The
name Confucius was a Latinized name of K’ung Fu-tsze which means “Great Master Kung” and
his real name is K’ung Ch’iu.

Before he became a philosopher, he became a keeper of stores and a supervisor of

agricultural fields. Then at the age of 22, he started developing a passion for ethical philosophy
in which he left his homeland to wander from state to state in China then after returning to home,
he started an informal school wherein he taught many students that became his followers about
ethics and leadership because he wanted the people to be morally upright by being a good leader
or citizen to where he/she belongs so that the society is in good state.

However, Confucius’ teachings were not that much appreciated by the other people
during his lifetime. It was only become significant when he died because many people realized
the importance of his teachings that’s why Confucianism was born.

II. Confucianism
Confucianism is a philosophy and doctrines of ethical and social conduct and it is based
on specific set of principles, moral duties, and social protocols that are designed to create a
harmonious society and a united country.

This was a product of student’s compilation of Confucius’ teachings that they named it
Lunyu or Analects in English and it contains fundamental principles of Confucianism.

 Fundamental Principles of Confucianism

1. Li (禮)
It is a principle of self-restraint and a sense of propriety that should be inculcated in every
person wherein every person should always act in honorable way and respect his/her elders,
ancestors, and his /her family. Also, every person should not be selfish wherein he/she must take
other people’s considerations by being fair always like for example, there is a rich businessman
who wants to build a resort in a barrio near the sea where many people live there ever since.
Through that, he must not continue it because many people in that barrio will be losing their
homes and livelihood. He must not take money as his only priority. He must consider the lives of
the people there.

2. Hsiao (孝)
It is a love for family wherein every person must love their parents or their children
because family is a basic single unit of society wherein if every family is united and happy, it
will have a great impact to the society. Family is where everything starts like for example in a
barrio where every family in there are united and kind. Because of that, the environment there is
very good because there is cooperation for the families there possessed love on each other. So if
all families in a country are like that, that certain country is in good state.

3. Yi (義)
It is a principle of righteousness wherein every person should do the right thing in every
situation regardless of the consequences it may. For example, there is a girl who was murdered
by a robber in her house which was near to you and you saw the robber went out in the house
and you know each other. At first, you are afraid to tell to the police because you know each
other that you thought he will get revenge with you but there should be a justice so you told it to
the police.

4. Xin (信)
It is a principle of honesty in life – being honest with yourself and being honest with the
people around you -- that’s why there is a saying, “Honesty is the best policy”. This is important
because honesty builds trust and confidence. For example, there is a girl who has friends that are
very rich and she is the only one who is poor. That girl wanted to be like rich so that she will be
not isolated from her friends by buying expensive clothes, going with them to expensive
restaurants even if she is only poor. However, she was struggling because she is only poor and
because of that she should be true to herself by being in reality that she is poor that she should
not be trying hard to imitate them because if they were her friends, they will understand her
status in life.

5. Ren (仁)
It is the most important of all principles because it is being kind and humane to your
fellow beings by not being judgmental through understanding people even if he/she did bad
things to you that’s why there is a saying in Filipino, “Kapag binato ka ng bato, batuhin mo ng
tinapay”. For example, there is a boy student who keeps bullying his one boy classmate and he
was affected emotionally and physically but despite of it, he has a compassion for him because
he thought on why he became bully like was he a bully victim before or is it based on his
experience from his family, and etc.

6. Zhong (忠)
It is about loyalty to one’s country or being patriotic because if every person is loyal to
his/her country, the country he/she belongs will prosper. It serves as a commitment in his/her
country like for example here in Philippines, we should support our local products by buying
them and promote them to other people.

 The 5 Relationships
Confucius specifies 5 important relationships that every person is part of that if he/she
maintains or observes each relationship dutifully, the society will be in good state. These 5
relationships should apply the fundamental principles of Confucianism because it will help for
the society to be in harmony and united.
 King to subject
 Father to son
 Husband to wife
 Older brother to younger to brother
 Friend to friend
III. References
Spiritual Ray. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://spiritualray.com/introduction-to-confucianism-five-
relationships

All About Philosophy. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.allaboutphilosophy.org/life-of-

confucius.htm