415. American Confucian or American Socrates

For John E. Remsburg, Benjamin franklin was an American Socrates. The following statement from Franklin can be used to support John's opinion,  “The perusal of Shaftesbury and Collins had made me a skeptic; and, being previously so as to many doctrines of Christianity, I found Socrates' method to be both the safest for myself, as well as the most embarrassing to those against whom I applied it. It soon afforded me singular pleasure; I incessantly practiced it; and became very adroit in obtaining, even from persons of superior understanding, concessions of which they did not foresee the consequence" Benjamin Franklin’s Autobiography, p. 17)  Clearly, Franklin adopted Socrates method for reasoning and communication.

In moral cultivation, it is more appropriate to say that Franklin was an American Confucian. Through Dr. Dave Wang’s research, we have learned that Franklin loved Confucius moral philosophy since his young age. He organized the youth group to discuss how to improve one’s virtue. He published chapters of Confucius work in 1737. He claimed the Confucius was his example in advancing his and the human beings  virtue in 1749. We have enough reasons to say that Franklin was an American Confucian by 1749.

364. Benjamin Franklin and Confucius' Principle of Leadership

Confucius maintained that the people should be led by leaders who governed through their virtue rather than using their laws. He believed that if a government rested its rule entirely on laws, its people would try to escape punishment and have no sense of shame. Therefore, he reasoned that if the people were led by virtue, they would possess a sense of shame and follow their leaders through their own will. 【第一章】子曰、為政以德、譬如北辰、居其所、而眾星共之。 CHAP. I. The Master said, ''He who exercises government by means of his virtue may be compared to the north polar star, which keeps its place and all the stars turn towards it.'' 【第三章】【一節】子曰、道之以政、齊之以刑、民免而無恥。【二節】道 之以德、齊之以禮、有恥且格。 CHAP. III. 1. The Master said, ''If the people be led by laws, and uniformity sought to be given them by punishments, they will try to avoid the punishment, but have no sense of shame. 2. ''If they be led by virtue, and uniformity sought to be given them by the rules of propriety, they will have the sense of shame, and moreover will become good.''

In 1778, two years after the colonists declared their independence, Franklin addressed the significance of the morality. He pointed out the necessity of governing with morality, especially for the leaders of the United States. He told his fellow Americans that laws were not enough for the new nation: "What the political struggle I have been engag’d in for the good of my compatriots, inhabitants of this bush; or my philosophical studies for the benefits of our race in general! For in politics, what can laws do without morals? Our present race of ephemeras will in a course of minutes become corrupt like those of other and older bushes, and consequently as wretched."

357. Poster of Dr. Dave Wang's Presentation in Italy

I found the poster that promotes Dr. Dave Wang's speech on Benjamin Franklin and Confucian Moral Philosophy in Rome, Italy several years ago. It reflects the fact that the Italians are very interested in how Confucius moral philosophy influenced Franklin, the giant icon of American culture. Dr. Dave Wang still remembers the good questions raised from the floor during his presentation. Some scholars from Universities and the Center for American Studies in Rome had a great discussion with Dr. Dave Wang.

142. Benjamin Franklin and Confucius Moral Philosophy

At the Conference organized by the well known International Association of Benjamin Franklin Friends and St. Johns College in September 2007, Dr. Wang presented Benjamin Franklin's efforts to use Confucius Moral Philosophy to cultivate his virtue. Requested by a friend of mine I publish here the main content of his presentation. According to Dr. Wang, Benjamin Franklin contacted the works of Confucius when he was in London from 1724 to 1726. Inspired by Confucius moral teachings, Franklin started the lifelong drive to cultivate his virtue. Following Confucius’ virtual cultivating procedure,--cultivating one’s self virtue first, then promote others to cultivate their own virtue and eventually illuminate virtue to the whole world, Benjamin Franklin started to cultivate his virtue as soon he returned to Philadelphia in 1728. In the period from 1728 to 1736, he focused on cultivating his own virtue. Starting from 1737, when Franklin published some chapters from the book "The Morals of Confucius,” to 1783, the Americans won a totally victory in their struggle for independence, Franklin mainly promoted the youth in North America to cultivate their morals. The final period started from 1784, when Franklin relayed his moral cultivating experiences in his autobiography, to 1790, at the last minute of his life, Franklin promoted the people of the world to advance their virtue. Franklin’s efforts at moral cultivation remade him, influenced others and left a permanent legacy in American tradition.