Chae,+JamesB2011


 * B Chae Jinwoo James Unit III Ancient History**

How are religion different from philosophies? How are they similar? Define each? Why is the Study of religion & philosophy important?
 * "What is a Religion? A Philosophy?"**


 * In my opinion, religion is the worshiping of an idea/object as an excuse of which people who are not capable of handling their own lives by themselves rely on. A philosophy, on the other hand, is a belief or idea that a certain group of people (or an individual) decides to follow on. For example, if I state that I would never eat any apples in my live, that could count as my own philosophy, unless there are other people around the world who have already decided to not eat apples before I did (in that case, I would be sharing/following their philosophy). This would not count as a religion, as I am not worshiping a particular object. Yet religion and philosophy are similar in the matter that they are certain concepts that people believe in and try to follow. We must study different kinds of religions and philosophies in order to learn about different opinions and ideas of various people around the world in order to have a wider perspective of the global society and to even find a religion/philosophy that seems to fit you if you hadn’t chosen one yet.


 * Journey of Faith**
 * Until I saw the movie //Donnie Darko// a few years ago, I was an atheist ever since I was little. My mother is a Buddhist, yet not as much as devoted as normal Buddhists are. My dad is supposed to be a Christian, but I haven’t spotted any proof of it yet. Thus, my family really isn’t that much religiously devoted, I guess. Anyway, as I was saying, I believed I was an atheist until I watched //Donnie Darko//. As I was watching the movie, I got introduced to a new and interesting concept, agnosticism. Following the quotes from //Donnie Darko//, an atheist is ‘someone who denies altogether the existence of God’, while an agnostic is ‘someone who believes that there can be no proof of the existence of God, but does not deny the possibility that God exists’. At first I thought the idea was intriguing and convincing, and that it matched my personal beliefs. However, I soon realized that being an agnostic would be an even more ridiculous act than practicing a religion. At least religious people have a clear and organized reason that they can defend their beliefs with! An agnostic seems to me as a ambiguous and hesitant soul who can’t even make up his/her own mind on a certain opinion, stating that he/she is an agnostic just as an excuse for an unsettled state. I am not totally criticizing agnostics that much, though, as I understand that some people might take some time to organize their thoughts an come to a conclusion.

Current Events in Korea: Academic Inflation


Comparison Chart and Four on a Log are missing. 0/10


 * Comparison Chart**


 * Notes on Confucius and Confucianism**


 * Discussion Questions Response**


 * Pooh Questions**


 * Taoism Cornell Notes**

James Chae B Block - The Now of Pooh (Discussion Questions)
 * Tao of Pooh Wikipost - Discussion Questions for 'The Now of Pooh'**


 * Tao of Pooh Wikipost Group Work - 'The Now of Pooh'**

__Summary - Daniel Park__

Although Pooh is not clever or knowledgeable, we enjoyed watching his adventure in the Forest when we were young. Pooh may not have a powerful brain, but he follows the voice of wisdom and simplicity within himself. Instead of listening to the voice of wisdom and simplicity in ourselves, we depend on our brains to manage our lives, which are in a desperate condition as a result. Although we may believe that cleverness and knowledge would help us survive in this world, they separate us from the world of reality. If such a pattern of thinking too much and being detached from the real world continues, we will soon have a great disaster. We have to listen to the voice of wisdom and simplicity within us, as the masters of life followed the Way. Instead of trying to devise a clever way to escape our troubles like an Owl and a Rabbit or complaining about the world like Eeyore, we should follow the way of Pooh, listening to the voice of a child's mind, or the voice of wisdom and simplicity.

__Discussion Questions - James Chae__

1. Is Brain (knowledge and cleverness) really important? Does it really bring us to what we want?

2. Does Brain mislead and blind us from seeing the truth and reality of the world?

3. Can true knowledge and cleverness be achieved by education and effort?

4. Does everybody really have the 'voice of wisdom and simplicity'? Do you think they are aware of it / are fully using it?

5. Is the majority of our world really 'Owls' and 'Rabbits'? What role do people with the characteristics of 'Pooh' take in our current society?

6. Do you think a society can continue to maintain harmony and peace if it only consists of 'Owls' and 'Rabbits'? What about only 'Poohs'?

__Thematic Analysis - Shawn Paik__

According to Hoff “A brain can do all kinds of things, but the things that it can do are not the most important things”, meaning that the true value of life, or the most important thing, does not lie within the knowledge nor cleverness; it’s the wisdom and contentment. Knowledge and “abstract cleverness of mind only separate the thinker from the world of reality, and that world, the Forest of Real Life, is in a desperate condition now because of too many who think too much and care too little” In fact, the number of ‘thinkers’ increase more and more to choose the knowledge to approach wisdom and contentment. They are doing it in the wrong way, and in the wrong place, and because of this bad decision, the world is in a desperate position to maintain it’s core value and what is now minority, the Taoists. “The masters of life know the Way, for they listen to the voice within them, the voice of wisdom and simplicity, the voice that reasons beyond Cleverness and knows beyond Knowledge.” Taoists, or the masters of life who know the Way, use their inner voice of wisdom and simplicity beyond knowledge. The power is not limited; in fact, it is given opportunity to everyone. Often times the ones who realized the power and stepped forward get worshipped and get called ‘the selected people who rule the others’, but this is not true. They just learned it earlier than others. So anyone, despite the social position or wealth or personality, everyone can reach it in a matter of time with right amount of effort.


 * Chuang Tzu and the Butterfly Analysis**

Why does the author choose a butterfly? - Just as how butterflies change through the process of metamorphosis, human beings also go through numerous changes throughout life.

What is the importance of the water cycle? - The water cycle is in a circular shape, representing the ongoing cycle and repetition of life.

What is the point about the 'man raising melons'? - Shown in the example of a price becoming a mere farmer, our ranks and perspectives are bound to change at some point.

What is the author attempting to convey to the reader? - The author is trying to convey the message that nothing natural last forever; change is constant. Humans must learn how to understand this process and to live accordingly. Change is something that everyone has to confront; humans must not obsess with past matters and accept the change.


 * Essential Quotes of Taoism**

Go to the Essential Quotes of Taoism above and read through them. Be sure to note down answers to the following questions. (Be prepared to share your answers): __1. In //Lectures on the Tao Teh Ching//, Lao-Tzu says, that, "The mystery of the Mysterious is the gateway to all indescribable marvels". Does this quote have an equivalent to in Christianity? Are there other parts of the Tao Teh Ching that remind you of Christian ideals?__ - The way how the Mysterious and the 'gateway to all indescribable marvels' were mentioned reminded me of the existence of God and heaven in Christianity. The statement that solving the mystery of the Mysterious leads to indescribable marvels somewhat relates to how Christians are to pray to God and accomplish good deeds in order to acheive the 'indescribable marvel' of being sent to heaven. Also, the quote 'The reason why heaven and earth can live long and endure is that they do not live only for themselves' from Tao Teh Ching occurred to me as an equivalent to the Christian idea that people should help and care for others.

__2. See Passage 2, "Not honoring men....Not wanting rare things...Not paying attention..." How are does this help one understand how Taoism, Buddhism and Confucianism found common ground and were not mutually exclusive belief systems?__ - Although passage 2 is an excerpt from a Taoist document, it contains ideas that encompass values not only of Taoism but also of Buddhism and Confucianism. The quote "Not honoring men of worth" relates to the idea of Confucianism that one should not judge another based on the background of the person, and that all should get equal opportunities without being stereotyped and biased in order to extract people of true value. "Not wanting rare things" and "Not paying attention to the desirable" are equivalent to the ideas of asceticism and self control of Buddhism. Although some of their ideas/views differ from part to part, many general frames of the 3 major philosophies overlap and cover similar concepts.

__3. In Passage 2, what do you think is meant by the lines, "relaxing the mind, reinforcing the abdomen, gentling the will, strengthening the bones"?__ - The quote most likely is referring to the major qualities of Taoism. First, by relaxing the mind, one cleans up his head away from useless concerns and knowledge, achieving a clear, pure, and blank state of mind without any obstructions. "Reinforcing the abdomen" may indicate the Taoist value of keeping balance and harmony with the natural world. "Gentling the will" refers to the Taoist quality of being not too extreme and aggressive, and "strengthening the bones" may indicate the Taoist idea of maintaining a healthy and stable body.

__4. Consider the last three entries from D.C. Lau's //Lao Tzu: Tao Te Ching//, Lao Tzu describes government. How is this ideal different from Confucius' ideal? What present day system of government are you reminded of when you read this section? Do you think this is a good system? Explain.__ - Whereas Confucius's ideal of a government was that the government should be composed of educated and morally proper people leading others into the correct way, Lao Tzu's ideal government is a liberal (non-restrictive) and unengaged one; the government was not expected to interfere too deeply into the lives of the people it ruled, and had to follow the Way and the natural flow of the world. Lao Tzu's ideal government reminds me of present day anarchies, or quite possibly, a state of no government at all. However, Lao's government can only function properly in theory, and is very unlikely to successfully lead a society in our complex and developed modern world.

__5. Regarding the third treasure that Lao Tzu describes, what do you think is his message? Do you agree? What does this say about people who are ambitious?__ - The third treasure that Lao Tzu describes, 'not daring to take the lead in the empire', may mean that one should not thoughtlessly try to achieve a key position of a society, as, following the quotes from Spiderman, 'with great power comes great responsibility'. I do understand how Lao Tzu is being cautious towards gaining power/authority due to the huge risk that follows, but I believe that a person should try to accomplish something at least once, even though there might have to be great sacrifices and risks. Simply walking away by totally denying to take any chances is, in my opinion, a pathetic and cowardly act. According to Lao Tzu, people who are ambitious would be considered foolish and reckless, as Taoism would think of such quality to be useless and unnecessary.


 * Legalism - Questions For Analysis**

__1. In Han Fei's ideal state what is the supreme governing authority, the will of the ruler or the law?__ - In Han Fei's ideal state the supreme governing authority will be the law, not the will of the ruler. He states that 'the intelligent sovereign makes the law select men and makes no arbitrary promotion himself', which displays the dominance of law over its subjects (including the sovereign).

__2. What are the "Two Handles" and how important are they to a legalist state? Why must the sovereign never surrender control over the two handles?__ - The 'Two Handles' of a legalist state are chastisement and commendation, each representing the punishments of not following the law and the rewards of following the law respectively. The two handles are the major factors of a legalist state that promote the enforcement of laws and bringing of order. If the sovereign surrenders control over the two handles, then justice will fall apart, bring chaos and instability to the state as the laws are not properly followed.

__3. What roles do individuality and private initiative play in Han Fei's ideal state?__ - Individuality and private initiative play in Han Fei's ideal state are very little of value, as the ideal legalist state primarily focuses on seeing the society as a whole and enforcing laws on it to promote stability and order, rather than taking account of individual affairs.

__4. Why do you think Legalism appealed to some people?__ - Legalism might have appealed to people of lower classes who sought social equality, as theoretically, all members of the society had equal responsibilities to follow the law and equal opportunities to get rewarded if they properly followed the law.

__5. Imagine a series of conversations among a Daoist, a Confucian, and a Legalist. How would each respond on the following issues: What is the purpose of good government? What role does morality play in formulating law? What are the qualities of a superior ruler? The proposition "Might makes right."__
 * Daoist: There is very little purpose of a government in general. If there had to be one, then it should have limited authority which is only used on effort to maintain peace within the state. Laws are even of lesser need to a state, while morality is not of much value as well. The morality of people depends on each individual's inborn nature; thus, can not contribute that much to the formation of laws. The statement "might makes right" is total blasphemy, as our philosophy opposes the use of force and promotes peaceful ways of nature.
 * Confucian: The role of a good government is, without a doubt, bringing stability and order to the state by setting up a rightful model for its people to follow. Laws are to be shaped by morality based on the set of proper relationships between people. A superior ruler should be well educated and wise, being someone his people can look up to and learn from. The statement "might makes right" is somewhat true, yet a ruler must not abuse such power against his people.
 * Legalist: The role of a good government is to rule its people with discipline and order to promote stability and peace. Laws should not be driven by morality, and must always be strict and just at all times. A superior ruler should be strict, determined, and fully aware of the law. The statement "might makes right" is a true statement that we face in reality, as it is strong laws and authority that brings true, uninterrupted stability to a state.


 * Shintoism Chart**

- Peter\Yi Sunghun sent to Peking to found out everything he could about Christianity (1783) - about a dozen Christians || - appeal due to regard of equal status of believers - by 1865, there were some 23,000 converts. || - Protestant Church's were popular due to the support they gave to people - Protestant Church promoted the use of Hangul -> appealed to lower class people who couldn't read sophisticated Chinese characteristics. - 250,000 || - Despite persecution, Christian churches in Korean proceeded to grow - Koreans needed element of unity and somewhere to rely on during times of hardship - Yascuni Shrine: divided Christian community into 2 groups -> tensions grew - 15/33 korean leaders at that time were Christians ||
 * Christianity in Korea**
 * Reading number and Title || Period being addressed || Three major (the power of three, sometimes you get two sometimes four) points drawn from this period ||
 * 1: Origins of the Korean Church || Late 1500s - 1784 || - 1800 Roman Catholic Japanese soldiers under Hideoyoshi's control in 1592 -> Father de Cespedes
 * 2: The Growth of Christianity in Korea || 1700s - 1880s || - Goryeo dynasty -> Christianity slipped in
 * 3. Introduction to Protestantism || 1880s - 1912 || - Protestant missionaries came in Korea as physicians -> learned Korean language to communicate with people
 * 4. Korean Christianity under Japanese Occupation || 1912 - 1945 || - Japanese suppression of Christianity -> condemned the concept of equality