Final answer:
The statement that Laozi agreed with Confucius on the practice of filial piety for human perfection is false. Confucianism emphasizes filial piety as vital for societal harmony, whereas Daoism, Laozi's philosophy, focuses on living in harmony with the Dao, which includes but does not prioritize filial piety to the extent that Confucianism does.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that Laozi agreed with Confucius that filial piety must be practiced so that humans can attain perfection is false. While Confucius did emphasize the importance of filial piety as a cornerstone of his philosophy, Laozi's teachings in Daoism do not prioritize the practice of filial piety to the same extent as Confucianism. Confucianism highlights obedience to parents and abnegation of the self as a path to societal harmony and individual morality. On the other hand, Daoism focuses more on living in accordance with the Dao, or the natural way, and can be less prescriptive about social obligations.
Confucianism upholds the practice of filial piety and respect for one's parents as duties that are essential to maintaining good family relations, which in turn affect the greater social structure. Confucius believed in the necessity of rituals such as ancestral sacrifices to cultivate filial piety and moral responsibilities. The interplay between ruler and subject in Confucianism is likened to the relationship between the wind and the grass; subjects must bend or be obedient to their rulers who are seen as honorable.
Conversely, Laozi's Daoism is more focused on the individual aligning with the Dao rather than emphasizing hierarchical societal structures. Therefore, Laozi's philosophy does not hold filial piety as essential for achieving human perfection in the same way that Confucius does.