Gentleman work at the root of the matter. Once the root is well established, the Way will flourish. Filial piety and brotherly respect – are these not the root of perfect goodness! (Aanlects 1.2) 

     Throughout the world, filial behavior (xiao 孝) has been valued by many cultures. Being a filial child (xiao zi 孝子 ) on the one hand refers to adult offspring’s obligations to meet the needs of their aged parents, on the other hand it is regarded as one of the most important criteria for being a good and virtuous person. However, taking a critical perspective, we realize that the ideal of filial behavior faces various critical challenges, not only practical but also theoretical. This course introduces the studies and debates on filial behavior from cultural, ethical, social, psychological, and political aspects. This course takes students to experience the change of narrative of filial piety from ancient to modern, and examines the differences in different countries such as China, the Netherlands, United States, and Korea. This course provides a framework to reflect on the theoretical grounds that claim filial behavior as a virtue and a duty, in the meanwhile taking serious the gap between theoretical ideals and practical difficulties.

孝的美德与义务？

孝敬父母的责任，与美德，古往今来，在世界不同文化中都被推崇。成年子女作为一个孝子，一方面要在法律责任上履行赡养侍奉父母的责任，另一方面，要在道德层面培养孝顺父母的美德。然而，当我们仔细剖析，我们发现，孝无论是作为一种义务，还是美德，都面临着来自理论和实践的挑战。本课程旨在从传统文化观，伦理观，社会学，心理学，和政治学的不同面向，对孝的问题进行综合考虑。在时光变迁中，本课程与同学们一起体验古往今来论孝的变化。在文化交流上，通过比较不同中国、荷兰、韩国、美国等家国文化对孝的理解，期望值，与实现可能，本课程尝试将孝纳入世界文化范围内考量。在理想与现实之间，通过对理论的反思，和对现实的关照，本课程呈现了理想与现实的距离，以及理想与现实共存的必要性。