Ghosts and Supernatural: Confucian Master Mo Explains Existence - Essay Sample

Introduction

Do ghosts and supernatural do exist? A Confucian known as Master Mo from ancient Chinese explains this argument by standard criteria of knowledge. The philosopher established a philosophy school known as Mojia, which formed the text known as Mozi. His faith and interest led him together with his followers to develop methods and forms of philosophies of early china (Johnston, 2009). Mozi was not only a philosopher but also a leader who engaged his members in social activities like state defending. Also, he criticized Kongzi political system has he advocated for a strict chain till resting in Heaven. This paper entails Mozi's evaluation of the significance of Heaven's will and the existence of ghosts through standard arguments and knowledge.

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The mohist theory is according to the concept of fa models. To make a judgment, according to the approach, is understanding what is "right" or "not." Another argument involves what is "wrong" or "not" ("fey," fei). Evaluation of whether a particular action or statement is correct from its distinction requires fa as standards. Usually, fa means "this," and hence correct, which does not is "not." Eventually, the criteria can justify knowledge privileges. The three standards of evaluation clearly explain that statement should have a source, root, and use.

The "root" entails historical evidence issued by deeds of the early sage kings. They require moral standards to rely on, which distinguishing wrong from right correctly and ways we usually pursue to follow. The "source" is an empirical basis that entails what people hear and see. For instance, in the argument of ghosts and spirits existences that reward the good and penalize the wicked, Mozi states that sage kings recognized the ghosts. Hence, the lessons about ghosts rewarding the righteous and condemning the immoral benefits of social welfare as people are afraid of the consequences of wrongdoing.

The first and third criteria are substantial, where empirical backing is irrelevant. Also, the third standard benefits the society by moral theory through justifications of the Heaven model. The appeal justifies sovereign criteria like benevolence, reliability, and neutrality. The following rule explains what humans see and hear; hence, Mohist cannot offer any defense. On the other hand, the first criteria reflect a distributed pattern of Mohist's intellectual background. This habit assumed that sage kings were positive moral exemplars and originators of appropriate normative practices (Johnston, 2009).

People in the world today understand only small matters rather than great ones. Mozi argues the saying from how people conduct and behave themselves in their families. He continues by saying that if an individual commits a crime to their clan leader, there is always a neighboring clan to flee - the same case when someone offense the state their escape to the neighboring country. Eventually, one's family will unite and caution one another to be careful. Mozi argues that people should give each other stronger reprimands in cases where someone cannot flee. According to Heaven will, there is no place to hide or escape, and humans do not know how to warn each other against offending Heaven. Hence, understanding the criteria that people are familiar with small matters instead of great ones.

What Heaven desire, it likes what is righteous. Mozi claims that by leading the world people according to what is right, then he will be acting according to Heaven will eventually, Heaven will also do as he desires (Johnston, 2009). Mozi likes good fortune and wealth. He explains that by acting against the will of Heaven, he will lead people into calamity and disaster. However, he explains that Heaven dislikes unrighteousness. He elaborates on the hypothesis by stating that through right, there is life, and its absence causes death. Therefor righteous brings wealth, order, and good deeds among people. Poverty and misery associated with unrighteousness. Hence, giving clear guidelines of Heaven's will (Suzuki, 2017).

Moreover, the right deeds influence a governing standard. Usually, superiors have rules to govern their subordinates, leading to people performing tasks but not making their standards. There are officials and ministers responsible for supervising them, which also does not make their standard. Whereas, there are feudal lords and high counselors who administer the government but not their standards but governed by the Son of Heaven (Johnston, 2009). Eventually, the Son of Heaven is controlled by Heaven. He further explains that people do not know that Heavens commands the Son of Heaven.

Son of Heaven is the wealthiest and highest person on earth. People who desire wealth cannot have it without the involvement of the will of Heaven. According to Mozi, the sake-kings, namely; Tang, Yu, Wu, and Wen were among the rewarded by Heaven (Suzuki, 2017). Honoring the Heavens, serving the spirits and ghosts, and caring for the people they helped below helped them achieve the fortune. However, the ones that brought opposition to Heaven's will like the savage kings of dynasties, You, Li, Zhou, and Jie were punished. The results were due to disrespecting Heaven, insulting the spirits, and harming the people under their cruel ruling.

Heaven cares about people through shedding light on all impartially. Mozi says, "Because it lays claim to all equally" (Suzuki, 2017). World people clearly understand that, indeed, Heaven cares for them. More so, it equally accepts offering and sacrifices from human beings. He continues to teach that any person who murders one innocent being will grieve one misfortune. The Lord bestows the lousy luck on High. Hence, it gives a clear explanation that Heaven cares for the human generation.

Right deeds are the standard virtue of governing according to Heaven's will. However, the opposition is the use of force to regulate. Mozi supports his argument by saying leaders from more significant nations should not attack smaller states (Johnston, 2009). The strong should not oppress the weak and the noble, not acting arrogant to the humble - the act of righteous benefits the Heaven above, ghosts and people. Mozi explains the love from Heaven to human beings on earth and also love among people of the world.

Present age people do not have sight to righteous. Mozi urges that the current generation does not believe in the existence of ghosts and spirits. It is enabling them to associate with immoral practices leading the world to be disorderly. People do not know that ghosts reward the righteous and punish the cruel. Mozi also adds that to determine the existence of something, you should take standard evidence given by the ears and eyes (Suzuki, 2017). If any circumstance someone has seen or heard something, then you should accept the existence of such things. Mozi uses the three "gauges" to evaluate the presence of ghosts.

King Xuan of Zhou researched the existence of ghosts by killing Du Bo, his minister. Du Bo voluntarily accepted the King to kill him, although he was innocent. He was to discover the existence of spirits in three years after his death. King Xuan, with various lords, was out hunting when Du Bo appeared in a chariot after three years (Johnston, 2009). He confronted and shot the King, who later collapsed then died. Men in the hunting field all witnessed and spread the news all over the nation. Hence, leaders gave warning to their ministers while fathers issued them to their sons to be cautious, and killing of an innocent human will eventually bring misfortune (Van Norden, 2018).

Mozi uses the second criterion to evaluate the existence of ghosts and spirits. He uses examples of sage kings who killed their ministers to find out the existence of ghosts. The standard is evident whereby the slaughtered ministers afterward return from the dead and kills the sage kings. Eventually, people witnessed the incident and shared the news with all people across the nation. These events were written in the chronicle court of Zhou with instructions that rulers used to warn their ministers and fathers to their sons to be watchful and cautious (Johnston, 2009) - stating that misfortune befalls people that kill innocent human beings.

Ghosts are seen to punish the wrongdoers and reward the righteous. According to mozi,s philosophy, present people have fallen to disorderly ways like piracy, robbery, rebellion, and the use of weapons against each other as they do not recognize the existence of ghosts. People of the earth argues that no ghosts are leading them to harm as spirits punish them for not identifying them.

Christian belief on the existence of Heaven contemporizes with Mozi arguments. Mozi states the life of Heaven will and Son of Heaven who his the greatest of all people (Johnston, 2009). The Christian version explains the existence of the Kingdom of God in Heaven, which relates to the Son of Heaven, according to Mozi philosophy. Also, Christians believe that God likes righteous and honor His people according to their righteousness and dislikes the wrongdoers, which corresponds with Mozi beliefs on what Heaven will like and dislikes (Van Norden, 2018). Both Mozi philosophy and Christianity portrait Heaven as the supreme governor of all creation. Hence, the two claims ascertain the existence of God.

Religion and Mozi's philosophy recognize the existence of Jesus Christ. Christian concept elaborates that Jesus son of the Highest died on the cross to save people from their sins and will come again to save the righteous one and take them to Heaven. On the other hand, Mozi philosophy believes that Son of Heaven exists, and He is a much-honored person in the world, same as how religion respects and acknowledge Jesus Christ as their savior (Johnston, 2009).

Religion and Mozi's way of life encourages righteous among human beings. They both state that Heaven likes what is right and hates what is not. They further explain that Heaven rewards those who are righteous by bringing prosperity in their life and life after death. For example, sage kings who ruled according to Heaven will be significantly rewarded together with their descendants, while religion states people who live righteous lives will inherit the kingdom of God.

This paper summarizes the evaluation of Heaven and ghost existences according to Mozi's philosophy. Also, he teaches about the ancient kingdoms of sage kings and their effects on society. He uses three standards to study the will of Heaven and theories to determine that ghosts do exist. The philosopher also warns people from ignoring the presence of ghosts to prevent punishment from the spirits.

References

Davidson, L. A. (2016). Inclusive Just War Theory: Confucian and Mohist contributions (Doctoral dissertation, Colorado State University. Libraries). Retrieved from https://mountainscholar.org/handle/10217/173496

Johnston, I. (2009). The Mozi: A complete translation. Chinese University Press. Retrieved from https://muse.jhu.edu/book/31346

Suzuki, Y. (2017). Moral Falsity in the Eyes of the Superhuman: The Cases of Socrates and Mozi. Frontiers of Philosophy in China, 12(4), 515-532. Retrieved from https://brill.com/view/journals/fphc/12/4/article-p515_515.xml

Van Norden, B. W. (2018). Fraser, Chris, The Philosophy of the Mozi: The First Consequentialists. Dao, 17(3), 421-427. Retrieved from https://www.academia.edu/download/57120523/BWVN_Review_of_Fraser_Philosophy_of_the_Mozi.pdf

Wang, Y. C. (2016). Mozi: Universal Love and Human Agency. Retrieved from https://scholarship.claremont.edu/cclura_2016/1/