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smartguy786
Student
High School - 9th Grade

Would Confucius agree with Socrates' statement the "he knew one more thing that everyone else: that he knew nothing"?

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Posted by smartguy786 on Tuesday November 3, 2009 at 5:08 PM and tagged with ancient greece, history.

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  1. pohnpei397 Teacher
    Community / Jr. College

    eNotes Editor

    I can kind of see this going both ways.  For Socrates, admitting that you don't know anything was the basis of philosophy.  Admit that you know nothing and then start trying to learn.

    By contrast, Confucius believed that he knew what the gods wanted from him and from mankind as a whole.  This does not sound like someone who believes he knows nothing.

    On the other hand, Confucius strongly emphasized education and thought that people could not be truly wise unless they both learned things and thought about what they learned.

    Overall, though, I'd say he wouldn't because Confucius is more about teaching what he already knows rather than seeking knowlede and understanding as Socrates is.

    Sources:
    http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/confucius/#ConSoc

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    Posted by pohnpei397 on Tuesday November 3, 2009 at 8:57 PM