For the Confucian, the specialistic expert could not be raised to truly positive dignity, no mater what his social usefulness. The decisive factor was that the cultured man (gentleman) was not a tool; that is, in his adjustment to the world and in his self-perfection he was an end unto himself, not a means for any functional end. This core of Confucian ethics rejected professional specialization, modern expert bureaucracy, and special training; above all, it rejected training in economics for the pursuit of profit.
Max Weber
Max Weber
Sociologist, jurist, and political economist

About This Quote

About Max Weber

Max Weber was a 19th-century German sociologist, jurist, and political economist. Maximilian Carl Emil Weber was a German sociologist, historian, jurist, and political economist who was one of the central figures in the development of sociology and the social sciences more generally. His ideas continue to influence social theory and research. Read more on Wikipedia →

More quotes by Max Weber