Tag: non action

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    Taoism for beginners: Lao-Tzu and Chuang-Tzu

    If I had to explain Taoism in a minute, I would emphasize the principle of non-action, that is, the paradox that, on many occasions, doing nothing is better than doing something. For a person schooled in Western thinking, the Taoist paradox is hard to accept. It requires careful study and extended reflection. Lao-Tzu (sixth century…

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    Summary of Lao-Tzu’s teachings

    There are a lot of questionable aspects in Taoism, but there are also profound insights. Those provide a perspective that we cannot find in Western thinkers, with the exception of Spinoza (1632-1677) and Schopenhauer (1788-1860). What can we learn from Taoism that Western philosophers have not already addressed? Did Socrates (469-399 BC), Plato (427-347 BC)…