It is extremely easy to compare Taoism to religion. In fact, I can do it in just two sentences. In the first sentence, I’ll explain the key commonality between Taoism and religion; and in the second sentence, I will point out what keeps them apart. First, the commonality between Taoism and religion is that both…

If I said that philosophy as a whole can be summarised in a few quotes, Aristotle (384-322 BC) might turn in his grave and damn my name for eternity. Fair enough. I won’t maintain that a philosophical system can be compressed into a few quotes, but if those are well chosen, two important benefits will…

Taoism and Western culture are compatible at the margin, in areas that contest mainstream values. Why only at the margin? Because Western culture rests upon the philosophy of Aristotle (384-322 BC), which is diametrically opposed to Wu Wei and other Taoist principles. Chapter 73 of the Tao Te Ching formulates Lao-Tzu’s views on causality, which…

It is not difficult to describe how Taoists view Confucians, Buddhists, Christians, or the adherents to any other philosophy, religion, or movement. Taoists do not place themselves higher than anyone else, nor do they devote any efforts to demonstrate that their philosophical ideas are better than anybody else’s. Nor do Taoists spend time criticising other…

I am fond of comparing the differences between Taoism and Confucianism to the differences between cats and dogs. I love dogs and cats, but I recognize their distinct traits. They respond to situations according to the nature of their species, and come what may, they will keep doing so no matter what. Taoists are like…

When Westerners are confronted with Taoism, they react at first with surprise, then with scepticism, and finally, with total disbelief. They are particularly intrigued by Wu Wei, the non-action principle that constitutes one of the pillars of the Taoist philosophy. How can we get more things done by working less, they wonder. It is impossible…

Taoism is ancient in its method, but modern in its mentality. It correctly assumes that happiness can only be achieved if we make good decisions. Let me underline that it calls for “good decisions,” not “perfect decisions.” Either in terms of accuracy or timing, “good” will do from the Tao Te Ching’s standpoint. I categorize…

In our business and private lives, simplification works well as long as we do not omit any crucial steps; and once we have identified a simple, but still workable way to do something, we can repeat the process and enjoy the results once and again. Thousands of internet pages are devoted to breaking down complex…

Despite similarities in lifestyle, there are large differences between Taoist and Christian ethics. Although the lifestyle of medieval Christian saints reminds me of Lao-Tzu, their beliefs rest on asymmetrical premises. Taoist and Christian ethics are as similar to each other as a cat is similar to a tiger. When cats and tigers are well-fed and…