Laozi
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2020 — SPRING TCCD-NE Course
My current course in Introduction to Philosophy: Reading schedule, readings, and assignments. If you are not one of my students, you are still welcome to read along with us. Continue reading
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Arriving by assistance of the Whole
Most who brag of being self-made—to the point of believing their own rhetoric—sooner or later will find themselves self-unmade. Yet even in this, they will become an unmaking alongside all those of whom they took advantage in Violent Struggle. Continue reading
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Hesiod’s Chaos and Laozi’s Way
PHIL 1060, Monday nights, 19 Sep 2016 Grounding ourselves in how the ancient Greeks and Chinese thought about the order of things. First, we discussed the basics of Hesiod’s mythopoeic worldview as a procreative cosmogony. Then, we moved over to… Continue reading
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The nameless backgrounds the nameable
MWF PHIL 1050.006, 1:00pm, Friday 16 Sep 2016 We took a close look at poem 1 about the Dao (Way), spending time on the (ironic) difference between the Nameless and the nameable. Basically, it is difficult to name the Ultimate Source of Reality… Continue reading
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Of the usefulness of propriety and the uselessness of superheroes
Started off the day asking about why we have such a big proliferation in the stories of superheroes. Finished the day by talking about Dào 38 and touching on a lot of the problems with professional education in the USA. Continue reading
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Dyadic not dualistic
It’s difficult to break out of the Western habitude of dualism. But it is especially important to make the effort when thinking of the Chinese notion of Yin Yang. Rather than another form of dualism in the history of philosophy, it… Continue reading
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Mindful Self-Acceptance? Bad Idea According to Ancient Chinese Philosophers
Asian philosophies have proven extremely influential in the United States, but are they being interpreted correctly? Frequently not, says Harvard China historian Michael Puett, who focuses on two main ideas in this video: one transported relatively recently to the United… Continue reading
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Silencing the Mind Will Be Heeded by the Cosmos
I don’t really think old Laozi actually ever said this. But, it is a great quote. Related articles John Cage: Silence yet not silencing (pilimi200.wordpress.com) Silence the music (sounddesign2013.wordpress.com) Daodejing 1 (keithwaynebrown.com) Daodejing 35 (keithwaynebrown.com) Daodejing 38 (keithwaynebrown.com) Daodejing 71 (keithwaynebrown.com) Continue reading
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Willingness and Will
A great philosopher–like Plato or Kant, Laozi or Nietzsche–does not give doctrines for memorization, provide answers to life’s problems, nor demonstrate proofs that will forever explain being human. That such has often been taken away from the greatest minds in… Continue reading
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Textimony 20130918
Be ever mindful good friends: dialog is not a choice between victory or defeat. Authentic communication has many outcomes; winner and loser are not among them. Continue reading
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Daodejing 71
#71* To know your ignorance is most upright. [1] Not knowing but pretending to know is illness. [2] Just consider shortcomings only as shortcomings: thus, no shortcomings. The Sage has no shortcomings because he considers shortcomings as shortcomings: hence, no shortcomings. *Translation… Continue reading
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Daodejing 11
#11* Thirty wheel spokes sharing one hub. The empty space in the middle has the usefulness to a cart. Knead clay to make a vessel. The empty space in the middle has usefulness to the vessel. Cutting the door and… Continue reading
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Daodejing 10
#10* Body and soul integrated as one. Inseparable? Concentrate Qì [1] for suppleness. Baby-like? Wash and cleanse the profound mirror. [2] Never blemish? Love the people and govern a country. Do doing-without-doing (wěi-wú-wěi)? The door of heaven Opens and closes. Yielding? [3] Brilliantly perceive The… Continue reading
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Daodejing 20
#20* Sincerity’s “yes” and Flattery’s “yes”: How much difference Is there between them? Good and evil, how much difference is there between them? What people fear, they cannot not-fear. [1] So vast; how never endless it is! People who are busy… Continue reading
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Daodejing 9
#9.* Holding and filling it up, no comparison to stopping it in time; Honing and sharpening it cannot remain for a long time. Gold and jade fill the hall, Yet cannot be guarded. Wealthy and honored Yet arrogant, Brings disaster… Continue reading
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Daodejing 8
#8* The highest good is like water: Water is good at benefitting the 10,000 things yet never contends. Dwell in the place that the majority dislikes; thus, be close To Dào . Be good at dwelling in place; Be good at… Continue reading
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Daodejing 7
#7* Heaven is eternal; earth is everlasting. The reason why heaven and earth can be eternal and everlasting? Because they do not exist for themselves, [they] thus can live long. Therefore, the Sage makes himself go behind yet he comes… Continue reading
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