Fourteenth International Conference on Religion & Spirituality in Society

Abstract

Who says history won’t repeat itself? In the 18th century, Protestant ethics played a crucial role in promoting the rise of capitalism. In the 21st century, Confucius’ rationalism has been a major driving force behind China’s rise. While few have attempted to explain China’s rise in terms of culture and values, my research has confirmed Weber’s correctness that the roots of a society’s development are its inherent religious and cultural worldview. But China is a religionless society. Russell (1922), in his book, The China Questions, deeply lamented the fact that the Chinese do not have the concept of “sin.” He said: “The Chinese people take Confucian ethics, and not religion, as the standards of society”. Liang, a famous Chinese philosopher, argued (1946): “The foundation of Chinese culture lies in rationality. For thousands of years, the Chinese nation has been blessed by Confucian rationalism”. What is Confucius’ rationalism? Why have the Chinese believed in Confucius’ rationalism for thousands of years as if it was religion? Why is this culture of rationalism advocated by Confucius still deeply rooted in the hearts of the Chinese in the 21st century? The research I did tried to answer these questions through comparative studies. First, I compared Protestant ethics with Confucian ethics, and the different ways in which they shaped the behavior and actions of individuals in society. Second, I compared Confucius’ rationality with Weber’s four types of rationality. Finally, I have articulated five unique characteristics of Confucius’ rationality.