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Ignoring the fact that China was at a near continuous state of war during the time of Confucius, with many huge and bloody battles as the various Chinese states

Ignoring the fact that China was at a near continuous state of war during the time of Confucius, with many huge and bloody battles as the various Chinese states tried to conquer each other.

acqq 13y ago
Still the warfare in ancient China didn't result in Chinese thinkers creating "jealous rules-giving God" but something called http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mandate_of_Heaven http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mandate_of_Heaven Put that in that western "we invented the resistance to the unjust government" pipe.
- gwern 13y ago
  > Still the warfare in ancient China didn't result in Chinese thinkers creating "jealous rules-giving God" I would suggest that what they did create to successfully end the constant warfare (which Confucianism failed to do), Legalism, was even more horrifying than any monotheism. Have you ever read, say, the Book of Lord Shang?
  - acqq 13y ago
    I haven't but I've checked: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Legalism_(philosophy) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Legalism_(philosophy) Apparently the times of legalism were around 3rd century BCE, and then "In later dynasties, Legalism was discredited and ceased to be an independent school of thought." I don't claim that it was all rosy afterwards, but let's also not forget that it were the British that were literally drug dealers to the Chinese, that even started the war once the Chinese weren't ready to accept it anymore: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opium_Wars http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opium_Wars
    - gwern 13y ago
      > Apparently the times of legalism were around 3rd century BCE, and then "In later dynasties, Legalism was discredited and ceased to be an independent school of thought." Thankfully. Once the empire was united, there wasn't as much need for Legalism and it was beaten out by the much nicer Confucianism. > I don't claim that it was all rosy afterwards, but let's also not forget that it were the British that were literally drug dealers to the Chinese I don't see how that's relevant. The British didn't invent opium because they were monotheists, they did it for economic reasons.

Ignoring the fact that China was at a near continuous state of war during the time of Confucius, with many huge and bloody battles as the various Chinese states tried to conquer each other.

acqq 13y ago

Still the warfare in ancient China didn't result in Chinese thinkers creating "jealous rules-giving God" but something called http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mandate_of_Heaven http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mandate_of_Heaven Put that in that western "we invented the resistance to the unjust government" pipe.

gwern 13y ago
> Still the warfare in ancient China didn't result in Chinese thinkers creating "jealous rules-giving God" I would suggest that what they did create to successfully end the constant warfare (which Confucianism failed to do), Legalism, was even more horrifying than any monotheism. Have you ever read, say, the Book of Lord Shang?
- acqq 13y ago
  I haven't but I've checked: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Legalism_(philosophy) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Legalism_(philosophy) Apparently the times of legalism were around 3rd century BCE, and then "In later dynasties, Legalism was discredited and ceased to be an independent school of thought." I don't claim that it was all rosy afterwards, but let's also not forget that it were the British that were literally drug dealers to the Chinese, that even started the war once the Chinese weren't ready to accept it anymore: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opium_Wars http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opium_Wars
  - gwern 13y ago
    > Apparently the times of legalism were around 3rd century BCE, and then "In later dynasties, Legalism was discredited and ceased to be an independent school of thought." Thankfully. Once the empire was united, there wasn't as much need for Legalism and it was beaten out by the much nicer Confucianism. > I don't claim that it was all rosy afterwards, but let's also not forget that it were the British that were literally drug dealers to the Chinese I don't see how that's relevant. The British didn't invent opium because they were monotheists, they did it for economic reasons.