Competence, Concern, and the Role of Paradigmatic Individuals (Chun-tzu) in Moral Education

Abstract

From perspective of Confucian ethics, learning to become an exemplary, autonomous moral agent, a chun-tzu, is a constant and unceasing process of self-cultivation (hsiu-shen).' This process involves an acquisition and critical interpretation of an established cultural tradition, seen as an embodiment of a concern for human well-being (jen), as well as familiarity with rules of proper conduct (li), with due regard to reasoned judgment concerning their relevance to particular circumstances (yi).2 This process also involves a daily examination of ethical import of one's words and deeds.3 More generally, Confucian conception of self-cultivation may be characterized as a gradual process of character formation by making oneself receptive to symbolic resources of one's own culture and responsive to sharable values of one's own society.4 A Confucian philosopher today would appreciate Murphy's similar conception of moral learning as a continuing process throughout life. Moral learning is not for children merely; we must go on learning all our lives if requirements of our moral situations are rightly to be met. The point of moral training is to supply starting point and to develop concern and capacity with which we can thus go on. It is teaching that prepares us to go beyond our instructions and to solve a problem for ourselves. In other words, moral learning or education consists primarily in development of competence in accord with established grounds of reason and an inculcation of a concern for membership in moral community. The content of such moral training will be the accepted moral precepts of group in which training is given. Whether such grounds for action are sufficient for guidance in hard cases remains a question open to individual reasoned judgment. Becoming a moral person is a special kind of achievement.5 For a Confucian moral philosopher, training in competence ideally is possession of a consummate skill in management of one's conduct and affairs in accord with li, and inculcation of moral concern is a matter of extensive concern for humanity. Training in competence and inculcation of jen, humane attitude of caring for certain matters deemed important in human relationships (lun), must go hand in hand, allowing moral learner to grow in moral understanding of other persons and in meeting problems and perplexities. The main difficulty lies not merely in acquiring a minimum mastery of requirements of accepted moral practices, but more fundamentally in developing a flexible attitude to deal with exigent circumstances of human life. On Professor of Philosophy The Catholic University of America