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| zhuangzi paradox: Genuine Pretending Hans-Georg Moeller, Paul J. D'Ambrosio, 2017-10-17 Genuine Pretending is an innovative and comprehensive new reading of the Zhuangzi that highlights the critical and therapeutic functions of satire and humor. Hans-Georg Moeller and Paul J. D’Ambrosio show how this Daoist classic, contrary to contemporary philosophical readings, distances itself from the pursuit of authenticity and subverts the dominant Confucianism of its time through satirical allegories and ironical reflections. With humor and parody, the Zhuangzi exposes the Confucian demand to commit to socially constructed norms as pretense and hypocrisy. The Confucian pursuit of sincerity establishes exemplary models that one is supposed to emulate. In contrast, the Zhuangzi parodies such venerated representations of wisdom and deconstructs the very notion of sagehood. Instead, it urges a playful, skillful, and unattached engagement with socially mandated duties and obligations. The Zhuangzi expounds the Daoist art of what Moeller and D’Ambrosio call “genuine pretending”: the paradoxical skill of not only surviving but thriving by enacting social roles without being tricked into submitting to them or letting them define one’s identity. A provocative rereading of a Chinese philosophical classic, Genuine Pretending also suggests the value of a Daoist outlook today as a way of seeking existential sanity in an age of mass media’s paradoxical quest for originality. |
| zhuangzi paradox: Zhuangzi and Early Chinese Philosophy Steve Coutinho, 2017-03-02 The Daoist philosopher Zhuangzi (also known as Chuang Tzu), along with Confucius, Lao Tzu, and the Buddha, ranks among the most influential thinkers in the development of East Asian thought. His literary style is humorous and entertaining, yet the philosophical content is extraordinarily subtle and profound. This book introduces key topics in early Daoist philosophy. Drawing on several issues and methods in Western philosophy, from analytical philosophy to semiotics and hermeneutics, the author throws new light on the ancient Zhuangzi text. Engaging Daoism and contemporary Western philosophical logic, and drawing on new developments in our understanding of early Chinese culture, Coutinho challenges the interpretation of Zhuangzi as either a skeptic or a relativist, and instead seeks to explore his philosophy as emphasizing the ineradicable vagueness of language, thought and reality. This new interpretation of the Zhuangzi offers an important development in the understanding of Daoist philosophy, describing a world in flux in which things themselves are vague and inconsistent, and tries to show us a Way (a Dao) to negotiate through the shadows of a chaotic world. |
| zhuangzi paradox: Zhuangzi's Critique of the Confucians Kim-chong Chong, 2016-10-24 Looks at the Daoist Zhuangzis critique of Confucianism. The Daoist Zhuangzi has often been read as a mystical philosopher. But there is another tradition, beginning with the Han dynasty historian Sima Qian, which sees him as a critic of the Confucians. Kim-chong Chong analyzes the Inner Chapters of the Zhuangzi, demonstrating how Zhuangzi criticized the pre-Qin Confucians through metaphorical inversion and parody. This is indicated by the subtitle, Blinded by the Human, which is an inversion of the Confucian philosopher Xunzis remark that Zhuangzi was blinded by heaven and did not know the human. Chong compares Zhuangzis Daoist thought to Confucianism, as exemplified by Confucius, Mencius, and Xunzi. By analyzing and comparing the different implications of concepts such as heaven, heart-mind, and transformation, Chong shows how Zhuangzi can be said to provide the resources for a more pluralistic and liberal philosophy than the Confucians. |
| zhuangzi paradox: Linguistic Strategies in Daoist Zhuangzi and Chan Buddhism Youru Wang, 2003-12-08 As the first systematic attempt to probe the linguistic strategies of Daoist Zhuangzi and Chan Buddhism, this book investigates three areas: deconstructive strategy, liminology of language, and indirect communication. It bases these investigations on the critical examination of original texts, placing them strictly within soteriological contexts. Whilst focusing on language use, the study also reveals some important truths about these two traditions and challenges many conventional understandings of them. Responding to recent critiques of Daoist and Chan Buddhist thought, it brings these two traditions into a constructive dialogue with contemporary philosophical reflection. It discovers Zhuangzian and Chan perspectives and sheds light on issues such as the relationship between philosophy and non-philosophy, de-reification of words, relativising the limit of language, structure of indirect communication, and use of paradox, tautology and poetic language. |
| zhuangzi paradox: The Complete Idiot's Guide to Taoism Brandon Toropov, Chadwick Hansen, 2002-03-01 You’re no idiot, of course. You know Taoism is one of the world’s oldest religions, based on simplicity and balance. However, you may not know it has important parallels with modern Western life: health, ecology, even in such pop culture icons as Luke Skywalker and the Beatles. But you don’t have to sit at the feet of a Taoist master to learn how the Taoist tradition has enlightened seekers throughout the centuries! The Complete Idiot’s Guide® to Taoism will show you exactly why Taoist principles appeal to people from every walk of life! In this Complete Idiot’s Guide®, you get: • The history of the Daode Jing, the world’s shortest core religious text, and Laozi, its mysterious author. • The teachings of Zhuangzi, the often-overlooked master sage of Taoism. • An explanation of yin-yang and what it represents. • Taoism’s relationship to Zen Buddhism. |
| zhuangzi paradox: What Can't be Said Yasuo Deguchi, Jay L. Garfield, Graham Priest, Robert H. Sharf, 2021-02-12 Typically, in the Western philosophical tradition, the presence of paradox and contradictions is taken to signal the failure or refutation of a theory or line of thinking. This aversion to paradox rests on the commitment-whether implicit or explicit-to the view that reality must be consistent. In What Can't be Said, Yasuo Deguchi, Jay L. Garfield, Graham Priest, and Robert H. Sharf extend their earlier arguments that the discovery of paradox and contradiction can deepen rather than disprove a philosophical position, and confirm these ideas in the context of East Asian philosophy. They claim that, unlike most Western philosophers, many East Asian philosophers embraced paradox, and provide textual evidence for this claim. Examining two classical Daoist texts, the Daodejing and the Zhaungzi, as well as the trajectory of Buddhism in East Asia, including works from the Sanlun, Tiantai, Chan, and Zen traditions and culminating with the Kyoto school of philosophy, they argue that these philosophers' commitment to paradox reflects an understanding of reality as inherently paradoxical, revealing significant philosophical insights. |
| zhuangzi paradox: An Introduction to Daoist Philosophies Steve Coutinho, 2013-11-19 Steve Coutinho explores in detail the fundamental concepts of Daoist thought as represented in three early texts: the Laozi, the Zhuangzi, and the Liezi. Readers interested in philosophy yet unfamiliar with Daoism will gain a comprehensive understanding of these works from this analysis, and readers fascinated by ancient China who also wish to grasp its philosophical foundations will appreciate the clarity and depth of Coutinho's explanations. Coutinho writes a volume for all readers, whether or not they have a background in philosophy or Chinese studies. A work of comparative philosophy, this volume also integrates the concepts and methods of contemporary philosophical discourse into a discussion of early Chinese thought. The resulting dialogue relates ancient Chinese thought to contemporary philosophical issues and uses modern Western ideas and approaches to throw new interpretive light on classical texts. Rather than function as historical curiosities, these works act as living philosophies in conversation with contemporary thought and experience. Coutinho respects the multiplicity of Daoist philosophies while also revealing a distinctive philosophical sensibility, and he provides clear explanations of these complex texts without resorting to oversimplification. |
| zhuangzi paradox: Xunzi Xunzi, John Knoblock, 1988 Coming at the end of the great flowering of philosophical inquiry in Warring States China, when the foundations for traditional Chinese thought were laid, Xunzi occupies a place analogous to that of Aristotle in the West. The collection of works bearing his name contains not only the most systematic philosophical exposition by any early Confucian thinker, but also account of virtually every aspect of the intellectual, cultural, and social life of his time. Xunzi was a social critic and intellectual historian as well as a philosopher. He was also extremely active in the political and academic circles of his day, and his teaching had a great influence on the initial institutional organization of a unified China under the first Qin emperor, an influence that continued (though often unacknowledged) through later centuries. This is the first of three volumes that will constitute the first complete translation of Xunzi into English. The present volume consists of a general introduction and Books 1-6, dealing with self-cultivation, learning, and education. The translation is accompanied by substantial explanatory material identifying technical terms, persons, and events; detailed introductions to each book; and extensive annotation, with characters when desirable, indicating the basis of the translations. The general introduction recounts the biography of Xunzi, his later influence, the intellectual world in which he lived, and the basic terms that the ancient Chinese used to conceptualize nature and society. |
| zhuangzi paradox: The Dynamics of Masters Literature Wiebke Denecke, 2010 By historicizing the notion of Chinese philosophy, we can, the author contends, answer not only the question of whether there is a Chinese philosophy but also the more interesting question of the future of philosophical thought around the world. --Book Jacket. |
| zhuangzi paradox: Effortless Action Edward Slingerland, 2007-05-24 This book presents a systematic account of the role of the personal spiritual ideal of wu-wei--literally no doing, but better rendered as effortless action--in early Chinese thought. Edward Slingerland's analysis shows that wu-wei represents the most general of a set of conceptual metaphors having to do with a state of effortless ease and unself-consciousness. This concept of effortlessness, he contends, serves as a common ideal for both Daoist and Confucian thinkers. He also argues that this concept contains within itself a conceptual tension that motivates the development of early Chinese thought: the so-called paradox of wu-wei, or the question of how one can consciously try not to try. Methodologically, this book represents a preliminary attempt to apply the contemporary theory of conceptual metaphor to the study of early Chinese thought. Although the focus is upon early China, both the subject matter and methodology have wider implications. The subject of wu-wei is relevant to anyone interested in later East Asian religious thought or in the so-called virtue-ethics tradition in the West. Moreover, the technique of conceptual metaphor analysis--along with the principle of embodied realism upon which it is based--provides an exciting new theoretical framework and methodological tool for the study of comparative thought, comparative religion, intellectual history, and even the humanities in general. Part of the purpose of this work is thus to help introduce scholars in the humanities and social sciences to this methodology, and provide an example of how it may be applied to a particular sub-field. |
| zhuangzi paradox: Paradoxes in Scientific Inference Mark Chang, 2012-10-15 Paradoxes are poems of science and philosophy that collectively allow us to address broad multidisciplinary issues within a microcosm. A true paradox is a source of creativity and a concise expression that delivers a profound idea and provokes a wild and endless imagination. The study of paradoxes leads to ultimate clarity and, at the same time, in |
| zhuangzi paradox: Philosophies of Happiness Diana Lobel, 2017-11-14 What does it mean to be truly happy? In Philosophies of Happiness, Diana Lobel provides a rich spectrum of arguments for a theory of happiness as flourishing or well-being, offering a global, cross-cultural, and interdisciplinary perspective on how to create a vital, fulfilling, and significant life. Drawing upon perspectives from a broad range of philosophical traditions—Eastern and Western, ancient and contemporary—the book suggests that just as physical health is the well-being of the body, happiness is the healthy and flourishing condition of the whole human being, and we experience the most complete happiness when we realize our potential through creative engagement. Lobel shows that while thick descriptions of happiness differ widely in texture and detail, certain themes resonate across texts from different traditions and historical contexts, suggesting core features of a happy life: attentive awareness; effortless action; relationship and connection to a larger, interconnected community; love or devotion; and creative engagement. Each feature adds meaning, significance, and value, so that we can craft lives of worth and purpose. These themes emerge from careful study of philosophical and religious texts and traditions: the Greek philosophers Aristotle and Epicurus; the Chinese traditions of Confucius, Laozi, and Zhuangzi; the Hindu Bhagavad Gītā; the Japanese Buddhist tradition of Soto Zen master Dōgen and his modern expositor Shunryu Suzuki; the Western religious traditions of Augustine and Maimonides; the Persian Sufi tale Conference of the Birds; and contemporary research on mindfulness and creativity. Written in a clear, accessible style, Philosophies of Happiness invites readers of all backgrounds to explore and engage with religious and philosophical conceptions of what makes life meaningful. Visit https://cup.columbia.edu/extras/supplement/philosophies-of-happiness for additional appendixes and supplemental notes. |
| zhuangzi paradox: Making Space for Knowing Aaron B. Creller, 2017-12-20 Making Space for Knowing: A Capacious Approach to Comparative Epistemology is an intervention in mainstream Western epistemology, especially as it relates to theories of knowledge, knowing, and knowers. Through its focus on propositional knowledge, contemporary mainstream epistemology has narrowed the scope of the definition of “knowledge” to a point where it fails to accurately describe the structure of knowing and prevents a genuine understanding of “knowledge” across different contexts and cultures. By drawing on resources in analytic philosophy and hermeneutics, Aaron B. Creller outlines an approach to comparative epistemology that makes space for the particularity of non-Western approaches to knowing. It then further develops this model by engaging with classical Chinese philosophy and twentieth-century Chinese epistemologists, offering a set of best practices for comparative epistemology. |
| zhuangzi paradox: A World in Discourse Matthew Izor, Sarah A. Mattice, 2015-10-28 Comparative philosophy refines the inter-cultural and inter-regional development of philosophical thought that is imperative for a globalizing world. The influence of comparative philosophy can be seen in the growing number of departments that include one or more comparative specialists in their ranks, and this is no longer only a trend in philosophy. Playing no small part in this growth is the fact that training in comparative thought provides one with a methodological backdrop against which rapidly diversifying sets of topics are being addressed from a broad range of perspectives. This volume illustrates precisely that trend by gathering together original work first presented at the Uehiro Graduate Philosophy Conference, an annual conference held in the spring at the University of Hawai’i at Mānoa. The campus that has been the epicenter of comparative philosophy has, through this conference, become a meeting place for new philosophical talent. Organized by the graduate students of UH Mānoa, the conference routinely attracts presenters from Asia, Europe and North America, and has featured keynote speakers hailing from universities in Japan, China, and the US. This volume publishes for the first time the standout papers from the 2013 meeting of the conference, the theme of which was “Convergence and Alterity”. Presenters were asked to submit their finest work that demonstrated the far-reaching nature of comparative thought. The result is a collection of novel voices emerging within the field. As can be seen in the uniqueness and vigor with which they approach the discipline, these writers demonstrate the ever-enlarging boundaries of comparative analysis. The volume includes papers covering figures such as Kant, Plato, Dewey and Merleau-Ponty in the Western tradition, and Miki Kiyoshi, Zhuangzi, and Confucius in the Eastern traditions. From boredom and cynicism to imagination and feminism, the topics treated are also of much interest to contemporary research. Throughout its pages, the reader will find not only a resurgence of the comparative methodology, but also a detailed analysis of both fresh ideas and classical texts. |
| zhuangzi paradox: Daoism and Environmental Philosophy Eric S. Nelson, 2020-10-01 Daoism and Environmental Philosophy explores ethics and the philosophy of nature in the Daodejing, the Zhuangzi, and related texts to elucidate their potential significance in our contemporary environmental crisis. This book traces early Daoist depictions of practices of embodied emptying and forgetting and communicative strategies of undoing the fixations of words, things, and the embodied self. These are aspects of an ethics of embracing plainness and simplicity, nourishing the asymmetrically differentiated yet shared elemental body of life of the myriad things, and being responsively attuned in encountering and responding to things. These critical and transformative dimensions of early Daoism provide exemplary models and insights for cultivating a more expansive ecological ethos, environmental culture of nature, and progressive political ecology. This work will be of interest to students and scholars interested in philosophy, environmental ethics and philosophy, religious studies, and intellectual history. |
| zhuangzi paradox: The Mojing Zhongyuan Sun, 2024-09-02 This book is the first and only English language translation of Sun Zhongyuan’s research on Mohist logic. Sun investigates the historical contributions made to the research of logic in China, its modern value, its significance to the world, and how the form of logic developed in China is united with those from the rest of the world, focusing on Mohist (mojia 墨家) logic in particular as its core concern. Sun’s work represents a high level of academic merit in the field of logic in China, embodying traditional Chinese culture, reflecting the frontiers of Chinese academia, effectively advocating for Chinese academia to engage with the rest of the world, deepening the academic conversation between China and the rest of the world, furthering the world’s understanding of Chinese thought, and strengthening its influence and discursive power. |
| zhuangzi paradox: Dao Companion to Chinese Philosophy of Logic Yiu-ming Fung, 2020-06-10 This book is a companion to logical thought and logical thinking in China with a comparative and interdisciplinary perspective. It introduces the basic ideas and theories of Chinese thought in a comprehensive and analytical way. It covers thoughts in ancient, pre-modern and modern China from a historical point of view. It deals with topics in logical (including logico-philosophical) concepts and theories rooted in China, Indian and Western Logic transplanted to China, and the development of logical studies in contemporary China and other Chinese communities. The term “philosophy of logic” or “logico-philosophical thought” is used in this book to represent “logical thought” in a broad sense which includes thinking on logical concepts, modes of reasoning, and linguistic ideas related to logic and philosophical logic. Unique in its approach, the book uses Western logical theories and philosophy of language, Chinese philology, and history of ideas to deal with the basic ideas and major problems in logical thought and logical thinking in China. In doing so, it advances the understanding of the lost tradition in Chinese philosophical studies. |
| zhuangzi paradox: Why Can't Philosophers Laugh? Katrin Froese, 2017-06-15 This book analyzes Western and Chinese philosophical texts to determine why laughter and the comic have not been a major part of philosophical discourse. Katrin Froese maintains that many philosophical accounts of laughter try to unearth laughter's purpose, thereby rendering it secondary to the intentional and purposive aspects of human nature that impel us to philosophize. Froese also considers texts that take laughter and the comic as starting points, attempting to philosophize out of laughter rather than merely trying to unearth reasons for laughter. The book proposes that continuously unraveling philosophical assumptions through the comic and laughter may be necessary to live well. |
| zhuangzi paradox: Ironies of Oneness and Difference Brook Ziporyn, 2012-09-20 Providing a bracing expansion of horizons, this book displays the unsuspected range of human thinking on the most basic categories of experience. The way in which early Chinese thinkers approached concepts such as one and many, sameness and difference, self and other, and internal and external stand in stark contrast to the way parallel concepts entrenched in much of modern thinking developed in Greek and European thought. Brook Ziporyn traces the distinctive and surprising philosophical journeys found in the works of the formative Confucian and Daoist thinkers back to a prevailing set of assumptions that tends to see questions of identity, value, and knowledge—the subject matter of ontology, ethics, and epistemology in other traditions—as all ultimately relating to questions about coherence in one form or another. Mere awareness of how many different ways human beings can think and have thought about these categories is itself a game changer for our own attitudes toward what is thinkable for us. The actual inhabitation and mastery of these alternative modes of thinking is an even greater adventure in intellectual and experiential expansion. |
| zhuangzi paradox: EASTERN PHILOSOPHY Summarized Devon Kade, 2025-04-03 Unlock the Wisdom of the East—Transform Your Mind, Your Life, and Your Understanding of Reality! Unlock the timeless wisdom of the East and transform your life with mindfulness, moral clarity, and true enlightenment. EASTERN PHILOSOPHY Summarized distills centuries of thought from Hinduism and Buddhism to Daoism and Confucianism, guiding you toward spiritual growth in an ever-changing world. Whether you’re a curious beginner or a seasoned seeker, this comprehensive volume clarifies essential principles—non-duality, the Dichotomy of Control in Zen practice, Daoist flow, and much more—making them accessible for daily living. Explore how eastern spirituality meets practical insight in each tradition: learn how Hinduism’s Advaita Vedanta reveals the oneness of reality, how Buddhism’s Four Noble Truths free us from suffering, and how Daoism’s effortless action (wu wei) fosters inner peace. Discover Confucianism’s ethical teachings for harmonious relationships, and see how all these ideas can enrich modern life with mindfulness and calm. As you delve into the ancient wisdom of these schools, you’ll find clarity on questions like: What is the self?, How can we find genuine happiness?, and What does it mean to live ethically?. From explaining complex metaphysical views to offering concrete steps for philosophy for beginners, EASTERN PHILOSOPHY Summarized presents universal truths that stand the test of time. If you yearn for deeper self-knowledge, a more compassionate worldview, and practical guidance to overcome life’s challenges, let this book be your road map. Embrace the wealth of Eastern philosophy—and step confidently into a life of insight, balance, and enlightenment. Grab your copy now to experience the profound power of ancient wisdom for modern times! TABLE OF CONTENTS: Eastern Philosophy Jargon What is Eastern Philosophy? The Role of Religion and Spirituality in Eastern Thought The Nature of Reality: Metaphysics in Eastern Philosophy The Self and Consciousness in Eastern Thought Ethics and Morality in Eastern Traditions The Vedas and the Upanishads: The Foundations of Hindu Thought The Bhagavad Gita and the Path of Duty The Six Schools of Hindu Philosophy Advaita Vedanta and Non-Duality Yoga as a Philosophical System The Life and Teachings of the Buddha The Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path Theravāda vs. Mahāyāna Buddhism Zen Buddhism and the Art of Spontaneity Emptiness (Śūnyatā) in Mahāyāna Thought The Dao De Jing and the Teachings of Laozi Zhuangzi and the Philosophy of Spontaneity Confucius and the Ethics of Human Relationships Mencius and Xunzi: The Debate on Human Nature Legalism: The Harsh Reality of Political Philosophy Bushidō: The Way of the Warrior Shinto and Japanese Naturalism Korean Neo-Confucianism and Its Ethical System Dōgen and the Philosophy of Zen Practice Eastern vs. Western Philosophy: A Comparative Analysis The Influence of Eastern Thought on the West Eastern Philosophy in Modern Science and Psychology The Relevance of Eastern Thought in Today’s World Mysticism and Enlightenment Across Traditions Living an Eastern Philosophical Life Conclusion: The Journey of Wisdom |
| zhuangzi paradox: Daoist Resonances in Heidegger David Chai, 2022-05-05 East Asian imagery resonates throughout Martin Heidegger's writings. In this exploration of the connections between Daoism and his thought, an international team of scholars consider why the Daodejing and Zhuangzi were texts he returned to repeatedly and the extent Heidegger adhered to Daoism's core doctrines. They discuss how Daoist thought provided him with a new perspective, equipping him with images, concepts, and meanings that enabled him to continue his questioning of the nature of being. Exploring the environment, language, death, temporality, aesthetics, and race from the groundlessness of non-being, oneness, and the Way, they illustrate how these themes reverberate with ontological, spiritual, and epistemological potential. A lesson in the art of Daoist and cross-cultural ways of thinking, this collection marks the first sustained analysis of the influence of classical Daoism on a major 20th-century German philosopher. |
| zhuangzi paradox: The Siren and the Sage Steven Shankman, Stephen Durrant, 2000-03-01 A comparative study of what the most influential writers of Ancient Greece and China thought it meant to have knowledge and whether they distinguished knowledge from other forms of wisdom. It surveys selected works of poetry, history and philosophy from the period of roughly the eighth through to the second century BCE, including Homer's Odyssey, the ancient Chinese Classic of Poetry, Thucydides' History of the Peloponnesian War, Sima Qian's Records of the Historian, Plato's Symposium, and Laozi's Dao de Jing and the writings of Zhuangzi. The intention, through such juxtaposition, is to introduce the foundational texts of each tradition which continue to influence the majority of the world's population. |
| zhuangzi paradox: An Introduction to Chinese Philosophy Karyn Lai, 2017-03-30 This book explores traditions including Confucianism, Daoism, Mohism, Legalism and Chinese Buddhism, and how they shape Chinese thought. |
| zhuangzi paradox: Comparative Metaethics Colin Marshall, 2019-10-10 This collection of original essays explores metaethical views from outside the mainstream European tradition. The guiding motivation is that important discussions about the ultimate nature of morality can be found far beyond ancient Greece and modern Europe. The volume’s aim is to show how rich the possibilities are for comparative metaethics, and how much these comparisons offer challenges and new perspectives to contemporary analytic metaethics. Representing five continents, the thinkers discussed range from ancient Egyptian, ancient Chinese, and the Mexican (Aztec) cultures to more recent thinkers like Augusto Salazar Bondy, Bimal Krishna Matilal, Nishida Kitarō, and Susan Sontag. The philosophical topics discussed include religious language, moral discovery, moral disagreement, essences’ relation to evaluative facts, metaphysical harmony and moral knowledge, naturalism, moral perception, and quasi-realism. This volume will be of interest to anyone interested in metaethics or comparative philosophy. |
| zhuangzi paradox: The Complete Writings Zhuāngzï, 2024-10-15 'Forget the years, forget norms, let yourself be stirred by the boundless.' The Zhuangzi -- an anthology of anonymous writings produced in China between the fourth and second centuries BC -- is one of the world's great literary treasures and the single most important source for early Daoist philosophy. It has exerted a profound influence on Chinese thought, literature, and culture, inspiring philosophy, poetry, idioms, proverbs, and even visual art. This volume provides a complete, annotated English translation of the Zhuangzi with a philosophical focus that guides readers in understanding and appreciating the text's world of thought. Informed by traditional and recent scholarship, the translation presents the ideas, reasoning, and worldview of the Zhuangzi in smooth, idiomatic English carefully formulated to reflect the phrasing and philosophical nuances of the original Chinese. Providing a lucid, lively translation, this edition is a guidebook into the philosophy of the Zhuangzi. ABOUT THE SERIES: For over 100 years Oxford World's Classics has made available the widest range of literature from around the globe. Each affordable volume reflects Oxford's commitment to scholarship, providing the most accurate text plus a wealth of other valuable features, including expert introductions by leading authorities, helpful notes to clarify the text, up-to-date bibliographies for further study, and much more. |
| zhuangzi paradox: Rationality Tzu-Wei Hung, Timothy Joseph Lane, 2016-09-02 Rationality: Contexts and Constraints is an interdisciplinary reappraisal of the nature of rationality. In method, it is pluralistic, drawing upon the analytic approaches of philosophy, linguistics, neuroscience, and more. These methods guide exploration of the intersection between traditional scholarship and cutting-edge philosophical or scientific research. In this way, the book contributes to development of a suitably revised, comprehensive understanding of rationality, one that befits the 21st century, one that is adequately informed by recent investigations of science, pathology, non-human thought, emotion, and even enigmatic Chinese texts that might previously have seemed to be expressions of irrationalism. - Addresses recent challenges and Identifies a direction for future research on rationality - Investigates the relationship between rationality and mental disorders, such as delusion and depression - Assesses reasoning in artificial intelligence and nonhuman animals - Reflects on ancient Chinese Philosophy and possible cultural differences in human psychology - Employs philosophical reflection, along with linguistic, probabilistic, and logical techniques |
| zhuangzi paradox: Dao Companion to Daoist Philosophy Xiaogan Liu, 2014-10-27 This is the first comprehensive companion to the study of Daoism as a philosophical tradition. It provides a general overview of Daoist philosophy in various thinkers and texts from 6th century BCE to 5th century CE and reflects the latest academic developments in the field. It discusses theoretical and philosophical issues based on rigorous textual and historical investigations and examinations, reflecting both the ancient scholarship and modern approaches and methodologies. The themes include debates on the origin of the Daoism, the authorship and dating of the Laozi, the authorship and classification of chapters in the Zhuangzi, the themes and philosophical arguments in the Laozi and Zhuangzi, their transformations and developments in Pre-Qin, Han, and Wei-Jin periods, by Huang-Lao school, Heguanzi, Wenzi, Huainanzi, Wang Bi, Guo Xiang, and Worthies in bamboo grove, among others. Each chapter is written by expert(s) and specialist(s) on the topic discussed. |
| zhuangzi paradox: A Kamigata Anthology Sumie Jones, Adam L. Kern, Kenji Watanabe, 2020-02-29 This is the first of a three-volume anthology of Edo- and Meiji-era urban literature that includes An Edo Anthology: Literature from Japan’s Mega-City, 1750–1850 and A Tokyo Anthology: Literature from Japan’s Modern Metropolis, 1850–1920. The present work focuses on the years in which bourgeois culture first emerged in Japan, telling the story of the rising commoner arts of Kamigata, or the “Upper Regions” of Kyoto and Osaka, which harkened back to Japan’s middle ages even as they rebelled against and competed with that earlier era. Both cities prided themselves on being models and trendsetters in all cultural matters, whether arts, crafts, books, or food. The volume also shows how elements of popular arts that germinated during this period ripened into the full-blown consumer culture of the late-Edo period. The tendency to imagine Japan’s modernity as a creation of Western influence since the mid-nineteenth century is still strong, particularly outside Japan studies. A Kamigata Anthology challenges such assumptions by illustrating the flourishing phenomenon of Japan’s movement into its own modernity through a selection of the best examples from the period, including popular genres such as haikai poetry, handmade picture scrolls, travel guidebooks, kabuki and joruri plays, prose narratives of contemporary life, and jokes told by professional entertainers. Well illustrated with prints from popular books of the time and hand scrolls and standing screens containing poems and commentaries, the entertaining and vibrant translations put a spotlight on texts currently unavailable in English. |
| zhuangzi paradox: Science Fiction and the Dismal Science Gary Westfahl, Gregory Benford, Howard V. Hendrix, 2019-12-10 Despite the growing importance of economics in our lives, literary scholars have long been reluctant to consider economic issues as they examine key texts. This volume seeks to fill one of these conspicuous gaps in the critical literature by focusing on various connections between science fiction and economics, with some attention to related fields such as politics and government. Its seventeen contributors include five award-winning scholars, five science fiction writers, and a widely published economist. Three topics are covered: what noted science fiction writers like Robert A. Heinlein, Frank Herbert, and Kim Stanley Robinson have had to say about our economic and political future; how the competitive and ever-changing publishing marketplace has affected the growth and development of science fiction from the nineteenth century to today; and how the scholars who examine science fiction have themselves been influenced by the economics of academia. Although the essays focus primarily on American science fiction, the traditions of Russian and Chinese science fiction are also examined. A comprehensive bibliography of works related to science fiction and economics will assist other readers and critics who are interested in this subject. |
| zhuangzi paradox: Human Freedom and the Values of the True, the Good, and the Beautiful Feng Qi, 2023-09-05 This is a philosophical book about the idea of human freedom in the context of Chinese philosophy on truth, the good, and beauty. The book shows that there is a coherent and sophisticated philosophical discourse on human freedom throughout the history of Chinese Philosophy in aesthetics, ethics, and epistemology. Feng Qi discusses the development of freedom in light of the Marxist theory of practice. In the history of philosophy, the relation between thought and existence, which is fundamental to philosophy, has stimulated many debates. These debates, though they have assumed diverse forms in Chinese and Western philosophy, have eventually concentrated on three inquiries: the natural world (the objective material world); the human mind; and the concepts, categories, and laws that are representative forms of nature in the human mind and in knowledge. In Chinese philosophy, the three inquiries are summarized using three notions: qi (气 breath, spirit), xin (心 heart), dao (道 the Way). What relationship do the three notions have with each other? This book explores the way to human freedom through the divergent paths in Chinese philosophy. This book’s investigation of human activities brings the typical Chinese philosophical discourse from the cosmological realm into the realm of human beings as individuals. In this regard, the three inquiries can be described as being about real life, ideals, and individuals. |
| zhuangzi paradox: What Makes a Philosopher Great? Stephen Hetherington, 2017-11-10 This book is inspired by a single powerful question. What is it to be great as a philosopher? No single grand answer is presumed to be possible; instead, rewardingly close studies of philosophical greatness are developed. This is a scholarly yet accessible volume, blending metaphilosophy with the long history of philosophy and traversing centuries and continents. The result is a series of case studies by accomplished scholars, each chapter trying to understand and convey a particular philosopher’s greatness: Lloyd P. Gerson on Plato Karyn Lai on Zhuangzi David Bronstein on Aristotle Jonardon Ganeri on Buddhaghosa Jeffrey Hause on Aquinas Gary Hatfield on Descartes Karen Detlefsen on du Châtelet Don Garrett on Hume Allen Wood on Kant (as a moral philosopher) Nicholas F. Stang on Kant (as a metaphysician) Ken Gemes on Nietzsche Cheryl Misak on Peirce David Macarthur on Wittgenstein This also serves a larger philosophical purpose. Might we gain increased clarity about what philosophy is in the first place? After all, in practice we individuate philosophy partly through its greatest practitioners’ greatest contributions. The book does not discuss every philosopher who has been regarded as great. The point is not to offer a definitive list of The Great Philosophers, but, rather, to learn something about what great philosophy is and might be, from illuminated examples of past greatness. |
| zhuangzi paradox: Philosophy and Oscar Wilde Michael Y. Bennett, 2017-02-22 This book is the first collection of essays to discuss Oscar Wilde’s love and vast knowledge of philosophy. Over the past few decades, Oscar Wilde scholars have become increasingly aware of Wilde’s love and intimate knowledge of philosophy. Wilde’s “Oxford Notebooks” and his soon-to-be-published “Notebook on Philosophy” all point to Wilde not just as an aesthete, but also as a serious philosophical thinker. The aim of this collection is not to make the statement that Wilde was a philosopher, or that his works were philosophical tracts. Rather, it provides a space to explore any and all linkages between Wilde’s works and philosophical thought. Addressing a broad spectrum of philosophical matter, from classical philology to Daoism, ethics to aestheticism, this collection enriches the literature on Wilde and philosophy alike. |
| zhuangzi paradox: Wonderworks Angus Fletcher, 2022-03-08 A brilliant examination of literary invention through the ages, from ancient Mesopotamia to Elena Ferrante, showing how writers created technical breakthroughs as sophisticated and significant as any in science, and in the process, engineered enhancements to the human heart and mind-- |
| zhuangzi paradox: The Paradox of Being Poul Andersen, 2019 Addresses the concept of truth in Chinese Daoist philosophy and ritual. Through wide-ranging research into Daoist ritual, both in history and as it survives in the present day, shows that the concept of true reality that informs this tradition posits being as a paradox anchored in the inexistent Way--Provided by publisher. |
| zhuangzi paradox: Berkshire Dictionary of Chinese Biography Kerry Brown, 2017-12-27 The Berkshire Dictionary of Chinese Biography, the first publication of its kind since 1898, is the work of more than one hundred internationally recognized experts from nearly a dozen countries. It has been designed to satisfy the growing thirst of students, researchers, professionals, and general readers for knowledge about China. It makes the entire span of Chinese history manageable by introducing the reader to emperors, politicians, poets, writers, artists, scientists, explorers, and philosophers who have shaped and transformed China over the course of five thousand years. In 135 entries, ranging from 1,000 to 8,000 words and written by some of the world's leading China scholars, the Berkshire Dictionary of Chinese Biography takes the reader from the important (even if possibly mythological) figures of ancient China to Communist leaders Mao Zedong and Deng Xiaoping. The in-depth essays provide rich historical context, and create a compelling narrative that weaves abstract concepts and disparate events into a coherent story. Cross-references between the articles show the connections between times, places, movements, events, and individuals. |
| zhuangzi paradox: Dao and Sign in History Daniel Fried, 2018-10-29 Provides a new perspective on important linguistic issues in philosophical and religious Daoism through the comparative lens of twentieth-century European philosophies of language. From its earliest origins in the Dao De Jing, Daoism has been known as a movement that is skeptical of the ability of language to fully express the truth. While many scholars have compared the earliest works of Daoism to language-skeptical movements in twentieth-century European philosophy and have debated to what degree early Daoism does or does not resemble these recent movements, Daniel Fried breaks new ground by examining a much broader array of Daoist materials from ancient and medieval China and showing how these works influenced ideas about language in medieval religion, literature, and politics. Through an extended comparison with a broad sample of European philosophical works, the book explores how ideas about language grow out of a given historical moment and advances a larger argument about how philosophical and religious ideas cannot be divided into content and context. Fried combines the disciplines of semiotics with a largely philosophical approach, thus offering fresh insights into both disciplines, while looking at issues from multiple perspectives. Steven Burik, author of The End of Comparative Philosophy and the Task of Comparative Thinking: Heidegger, Derrida, and Daoism |
| zhuangzi paradox: Readings in Classical Chinese Philosophy (Second Edition) Philip J. Ivanhoe, Bryan W. Van Norden, 2005-01-01 This new edition offers expanded selections from the works of Kongzi (Confucius), Mengzi (Mencius), Zhuangzi (Chuang Tzu), and Xunzi (Hsun Tzu); two new works, the dialogues 'Robber Zhi' and 'White Horse'; a concise general introduction; brief introductions to, and selective bibliographies for, each work; and four appendices that shed light on important figures, periods, texts, and terms in Chinese thought. |
| zhuangzi paradox: The Way of Nature Zhuangzi, 2019-07-02 A delightfully illustrated selection of the great Daoist writings of Zhuangzi by bestselling cartoonist C. C. Tsai C. C. Tsai is one of Asia’s most popular cartoonists, and his editions of the Chinese classics have sold more than 40 million copies in over twenty languages. This volume presents Tsai’s delightful graphic adaptation of the profound and humorous Daoist writings of Zhuangzi, some of the most popular and influential in the history of Asian philosophy and culture. The Way of Nature brings together all of Tsai’s beguiling cartoon illustrations of the Zhuangzi, which takes its name from its author. The result is a uniquely accessible and entertaining adaptation of a pillar of classical Daoism, which has deeply influenced Chinese poetry, landscape painting, martial arts, and Chan (Zen) Buddhism. Irreverent and inspiring, The Way of Nature presents the memorable characters, fables, and thought experiments of Zhuangzi like no other edition, challenging readers to dig beneath conventional assumptions about self, society, and nature, and pointing to a more natural way of life. Through practical insights and far-reaching arguments, Zhuangzi shows why returning to the spontaneity of nature is the only sane response to a world of conflict. A marvelous introduction to a timeless classic, this book also features an illuminating foreword by Edward Slingerland. In addition, Zhuangzi’s original Chinese text is artfully presented in narrow sidebars on each page, enriching the book for readers and students of Chinese without distracting from the self-contained English-language cartoons. The text is skillfully translated by Brian Bruya, who also provides an introduction. |
| zhuangzi paradox: Theoretical Knowledge in the Mohist Canon Matthias Schemmel, William G. Boltz, 2023-01-01 This open access book presents a new translation, interpretation and analysis of selected passages from the so-called Mohist Canon, a Chinese text from ca. 300 BCE, and discusses the role of the text in the world history of science, arguing that it represents an early emergence of theoretical, systematized knowledge that is independent from parallel developments in ancient Greece. It is aimed at historians of science, of knowledge and of philosophy, and generally at readers interested in these topics from an intercultural perspective and particularly with respect to China. |
Zhuangzi - Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy
Dec 17, 2014 · Zhuangzi (Chuang-tzu 莊子 “Master Zhuang” late 4th century BC) is the pivotal figure in Classical Philosophical Daoism. The Zhuangzi is a compilation of his and others’ …
Zhuangzi - Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy
The Zhuangzi (also known in Wade-Giles romanization romanization as Chuang-tzu), named after “Master Zhuang” was, along with the Laozi, one of the earliest texts to contribute to the …
Zhuangzi (book) - Wikipedia
The Zhuangzi (historically romanized Chuang Tzŭ) is an ancient Chinese text that is one of the two foundational texts of Taoism, alongside the Tao Te Ching. It was written during the late …
Zhuangzi | Books, Daoism, & Chinese Philosophy | Britannica
Zhuangzi, Chinese philosophical, literary, and religious classic named for its author, Zhuang Zhou, who lived in the 4th century bce and is commonly referred to as Zhuangzi (“Master Zhuang”).
Zhuangzi - Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy
Dec 17, 2014 · Zhuangzi (Chuang-tzu 莊子 “Master Zhuang” late 4th century BC) is the pivotal figure in Classical Philosophical Daoism. The Zhuangzi is a compilation of his and others’ …
Zhuang Zhou - Wikipedia
Zhuang Zhou (/ dʒ u ˈ ɑː ŋ ˈ dʒ oʊ /), [1] commonly known as Zhuangzi (/ ˈ dʒ w ɑː ŋ ˈ d z ʌ /; [2] Chinese: 莊子; literally "Master Zhuang"; also rendered in the Wade–Giles romanization as …
Zhuangzi - New World Encyclopedia
Zhuangzi (traditional Chinese characters: 莊子) was a fourth-century B.C.E. Chinese thinker of startling depth and originality, and author of a text with the same name. Zhuangzi expanded …
Zhuangzi: The Inner Chapters - Open Scholarship
The Zhuangzi is a big book, about the same size as the Xunzi. But it is far more diverse and disorganized than the Xunzi and its major ideas much harder to summarize. In this section we …
Zhuangzi: Biography, Contributions, and the Enduring Legacy of …
Feb 17, 2025 · Zhuangzi (often rendered as Chuang Tzu in older transliterations) stands as one of the most influential figures in Chinese philosophy. His works have not only shaped Daoist …
Zhuangzi - Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy
Nov 10, 2001 · As one of the two most popular Daoist texts in the Chinese tradition, the Zhuangzi has been the subject of more than sixty major East Asian commentaries since the third century …
Zhuangzi - Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy
Dec 17, 2014 · Zhuangzi (Chuang-tzu 莊子 “Master Zhuang” late 4th century BC) is the pivotal figure in Classical Philosophical Daoism. The Zhuangzi is a compilation of his and others’ …
Zhuangzi - Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy
The Zhuangzi (also known in Wade-Giles romanization romanization as Chuang-tzu), named after “Master Zhuang” was, along with the Laozi, one of the earliest texts to contribute to the …
Zhuangzi (book) - Wikipedia
The Zhuangzi (historically romanized Chuang Tzŭ) is an ancient Chinese text that is one of the two foundational texts of Taoism, alongside the Tao Te Ching. It was written during the late …
Zhuangzi | Books, Daoism, & Chinese Philosophy | Britannica
Zhuangzi, Chinese philosophical, literary, and religious classic named for its author, Zhuang Zhou, who lived in the 4th century bce and is commonly referred to as Zhuangzi (“Master Zhuang”).
Zhuangzi - Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy
Dec 17, 2014 · Zhuangzi (Chuang-tzu 莊子 “Master Zhuang” late 4th century BC) is the pivotal figure in Classical Philosophical Daoism. The Zhuangzi is a compilation of his and others’ …
Zhuang Zhou - Wikipedia
Zhuang Zhou (/ dʒ u ˈ ɑː ŋ ˈ dʒ oʊ /), [1] commonly known as Zhuangzi (/ ˈ dʒ w ɑː ŋ ˈ d z ʌ /; [2] Chinese: 莊子; literally "Master Zhuang"; also rendered in the Wade–Giles romanization as …
Zhuangzi - New World Encyclopedia
Zhuangzi (traditional Chinese characters: 莊子) was a fourth-century B.C.E. Chinese thinker of startling depth and originality, and author of a text with the same name. Zhuangzi expanded …
Zhuangzi: The Inner Chapters - Open Scholarship
The Zhuangzi is a big book, about the same size as the Xunzi. But it is far more diverse and disorganized than the Xunzi and its major ideas much harder to summarize. In this section we …
Zhuangzi: Biography, Contributions, and the Enduring Legacy of …
Feb 17, 2025 · Zhuangzi (often rendered as Chuang Tzu in older transliterations) stands as one of the most influential figures in Chinese philosophy. His works have not only shaped Daoist …
Zhuangzi - Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy
Nov 10, 2001 · As one of the two most popular Daoist texts in the Chinese tradition, the Zhuangzi has been the subject of more than sixty major East Asian commentaries since the third century …
