閱讀理解
Kong Zi called Confucius(551-479 B．C．)．a(chǎn)nd Soerates(469 B．C．)lived only a hundred years apart, and during their lifetimes there was no contact between China and Greece, but it is interesting on look at how the world that each of there great philosophers came from shaped their ideas, and how these in turn, shaped their societies．
Neither philosopher lived in times of peace, though there were more wars in Greece than in China．The Chinese states were very large and feudal, while the Greek city-states were small and urban．The urban environment in which Socrates lived allowed him to be more radical(激進(jìn)的)than Confucius．Unlike Confucius, Soeraes was not asked by rulers how to goversn offectively．Thus Soerates was able to be more idealistic, foeusing on issues like freedom and knowledge for its own sake, on the other hand, advised those in gowernnent and many of his students went ment
Conful suggested Rule as a principle for the corduet of “Lo not others what you would not want to you．”He assumed that all men were equal at some potential than others, are that it was knowledge that set men apart．Socraes focusesd on individual, and thought that the greatest purpose of man was to seek wisdom．He believed that some had more potential a develop their reason than others did．Like Confucius, he believed that the superior class should rule the inferior(下層的)classes．
For Socrates, the family was of no importance, and the community of little concerm．For Confucius, however, the family was the centre of society, with family relations considered much more important than political relations．
Both men are respected much more today than they were in their lifetimes．
