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Full Idea
The two major limitations of Confucianism are that it assumes that all worthwhile cultural, social and ethical innovation has already occurred, and that it does not recognise the plurality of worthwhile ways of life.
Gist of Idea
Confucianism assumes that all good developments have happened, and there is only one Way
Source
comment on Kongzi (Confucius) (The Analects (Lunyu) [c.511 BCE]) by Bryan van Norden - Intro to Classical Chinese Philosophy 3.III
Book Ref
Norden,Bryan van: 'Intro to Classical Chinese Philosophy' [Hackett 2011], p.45
A Reaction
In modern liberal terms that is about as conservative as it is possible to get. We think of it as the state of mind of an old person who can only long for the way things were when they were young. But 'hold fast to that which is good'!
Related Idea
Idea 23392 The Dao (Way) first means the road, and comes to mean the right way to live [Norden]
| 23393 | Confucianism assumes that all good developments have happened, and there is only one Way [Norden on Kongzi (Confucius)] |
| 7358 | All men prefer outward appearance to true excellence [Kongzi (Confucius)] |
| 7357 | People who control others with fluent language often end up being hated [Kongzi (Confucius)] |
| 7359 | Excess and deficiency are equally at fault [Kongzi (Confucius)] |
| 7360 | Do not do to others what you would not desire yourself [Kongzi (Confucius)] |
| 7361 | Men of the highest calibre avoid political life completely [Kongzi (Confucius)] |
| 7362 | Humans are similar, but social conventions drive us apart (sages and idiots being the exceptions) [Kongzi (Confucius)] |
| 7363 | The virtues of the best people are humility, maganimity, sincerity, diligence, and graciousness [Kongzi (Confucius)] |