Non-correspondence of names and actualities

In analects 6:23, Confucius asked ‘when a cornered vessel no longer has any corner, should it be called a cornered vessel?’ Confucius tells us that the name we place upon a thing should be what a thing truly is by its definition. Those that do not deserve to be called of the way they are named are non-rectified names. The existence of non-rectified names can be seen in the analects 12:11 where it suggests the political chaos during China’s times of war. The government is crawled with unqualified people who desire power and dares to give themselves titles they do not deserve. These people are the ones that should not be in office for they have achieved their cravings of power in the wrong method. This dilemma is an absence of the Way. The correct nature of putting people who are deserving and qualified to hold power are stripped of their right and those who has no right to be in command are occupying the office. These people are being unworthy of the titles that they have acquired.

The names in which we assign to things have a corresponding meaning that holds truth of what the thing is. If a king is to be called a king then he must live up to the very definition of being a king and not be a greedy noble man. And a noble man must truly be a noble person and not just be named noble due to birth right. Confucius notion in rectifying names is a valid argument. The first step in understanding one another is by using words to refer to what we mean. If a thing or a person lives up to the name it is given then there is an automatic truth in how they are defined. By rightfully placing names to everything, there is a distinction between everything. Justice is justice; good is good and bad is bad. . And thus, in the analects 13:3, Confucius directly states that the first measure that should be undertaken is the rectification of names. When everything is named properly, there will be no misunderstanding among people, government and politics for everything has a definite definition that consists the truth of what they truly is.