30 Philosophers, Chapter 5, Confucius, Touchstone 14: Schemas.
A schema is a mental structure we employ to organize and interpret information. We classify things into schemas, which we can then modify by adding or removing elements. Schemas help us simplify life. Once things are categorized as normal or abnormal, we utilize our cognitive processes, such as memory and association, to attach emotional or value judgments like good, bad, great, horrible, delicious, gross, and so on, to these “normal” or “abnormal” classifications.
Confucius did not use the modern word schema, but his philosophy depended on them. Ritual, family duty, respect for elders, proper speech, and social roles trained the mind to recognize patterns of conduct. In this sense, Confucianism was not just a list of rules; it was a framework for shaping the schemas people used to think, behave, and live together.
