A New Commentary on the Zhuangzi [in modern Chinese] . In the latter case, the focus is on the idea or question raised, which, Ive suggested, is made patently obvious in a good thought experiment. Cao, Chuji , trans. Fundamentals of Comparative and Intercultural Philosophy. Dschuang-Dsi. The lack of full clarity and explanation is precisely what invites and allows the observer to make something out of the work for herself and thus arguably makes the piece, or whatever is taken from it, more memorable. 1994. Anyone you share the following link with will be able to read this content: Sorry, a shareable link is not currently available for this article. 2013. His language did not hit his target the intent to make sense of things. This suggests that Zhuangzi saw Hui Shi as caught in a paradox. Zhuangzi, the Taoist philosopher, lived in. If there werent other places where Zhuangzi seems to poke fun at so many people and schools of thought, arguably including Daoist thought,24 then we could be more confident in making a straightforward conclusion about what Zhuangzi likely thinks of Master Chariots all-embracing and arguably excited attitude towards his dramatically changing body and life. Do computers understand things the way humans do? . but we dont typically look at what other things the philosopher has said or what we know about the person in order to figure out how to interpret a thought experiment. Ironic, then, that our representative of logic, logician Huizi, is not capable of such creativity. %PDF-1.5 The Zhuangzi () is named after Zhung Zhu (), who flourished in the later half of the fourth century bce. Xu, Bing . New York: Columbia University Press. 1928/1989. 1913/1983. Zhuangzis and Huizis stroll is described as rambling around, which is you () in Chinese. It amounts to life-affirmation or to life-denialto acceptance or to rejection. but if its not clear what we are supposed to remember, then whats the point? And between one individual and another, and another, each will be in some ways Huizi, and in other ways Zhuang Zhou. This so-called Trolley Problem was originally introduced by Philippa Foot5, but arguably was made famous by Judith Thomson6, and it is used in many discussions of either utilitarian moral theory or the ethics of killing versus letting die, with regards to certain scenarios in bioethics. Albany: State University of New York Press. Napoli: Universit degli Studie di Napoli LOrientale.. Lin, Yutang , trans. 2003. The Complete Work of the Zhuangzi . I will then discuss some of the fictitious anecdotes that appear in the Zhuangzi. 2010. For example, one could say, as a utilitarian, Im committed to maximizing happiness and minimizing pain so if there is a choice between letting five people live and one die or five die and one live, then I will do the former. How is it you never thought of making it into an enormous vessel for yourself and floating through the lakes and rivers in it? 1957. My organs are all out of order. Foot, P., 1967, The problem of abortion and the Doctrine of Double Effect, Oxford Review, V. Hochsmann, H., Guorong, Y., 2007, Zhuangzi, Boston, Pearson Education. <>/ExtGState<>/ProcSet[/PDF/Text/ImageB/ImageC/ImageI] >>/MediaBox[ 0 0 595.32 841.92] /Contents 4 0 R/Group<>/Tabs/S/StructParents 0>> 2003. School of Philosophy, Renmin University of China (Zhe-xue-yuan), Av. It is precisely because we dont know exactly what Zhuangzi is up to that the discussion and wonder are enduring. 2008. Zhuangzi on Qing: Lack of Qing, Giving Free Reign to Qing, and Setting Qing at Rest :. Philosophical Researches 4: 5059. The great gourd. Zhuangzi. Uselessness. Zhuangzi says to Huizi, The ability to prevent chapped hands was the same in either case. The Asian master of wit and storytelling is the Daoist, Zhuangzi (sometimes spelled Chuang-Tzu). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11712-020-09765-6, https://www.academia.edu/35172330/Zhuangzis_Doctrine_of_No_Emotions_forthcoming_in_Dao_Companion_to_the_Philosophy_of_the_Zhuangzi_Kim_Chong_Chong_and_Kai_Yuan_Cheng_eds_final_draft, https://scholarworks.iu.edu/dspace/handle/2022/23427, http://www.terebess.hu/english/chuang.html. The Zhuangist Views on Emotions. Asian Philosophy 28.1: 5567. Zhuangzi, aka Chang Tzu, aka Zhuang Zhao, was a Chinese Taoist master, c. 300 AD. This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution. In Dao Companion to the Philosophy of the Zhuangzi, edited by Kim-chong Chong and Kai-Yuan Cheng. His epigrams and parables praised those who achieved mastery through constant practice of a skill, following their own inclinations, He scorned complicated explanations and theories. For example, 1) the situations are often highly unrealistic, beyond what normal, real-world counterfactual reasoning would get one to; 2) the characters involved have abilities or disabilities that few if any humans have and sometimes3; and 3) the situations have a way of making a point or a position more memorable than a plainly stated proposition4. ______. Beijing : Shangwu Yinshuguan . 1985. Qin, Xuqing , and Sun Yongchang , trans. This is uncharacteristic of Western thought experiments where the philosopher presents the imagined case and then discusses what it implies. In The Sacred Books of the East, edited by F. Max Mller. Zhuangzi. 1957. Chen, Guying , trans. Zhuangzi on Qing: Lack of Qing, Giving Free Reign to Qing, and Setting Qing at Rest :. Philosophical Researches 4: 5059. Chuang-Tzu: The Inner Chapters. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11712-020-09765-6, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11712-020-09765-6. Psychology and Self-Cultivation in Early Taoistic Thought. Harvard Journal of Asiatic Studies 51.2: 599650. How extraordinary of the maker of things to knot me up like this. Jinan : Qilu Shushe . Huizi believes his knowledge is sufficiently complete as to be capable of using rational deduction to come to only correct answers. This admittedly is a different kind of similarity, one involving the similar, Jackson has actually since changed his position on the thesis of physicalism and he no longer think, Roy Sorensen 1992 has a discussion of several criticisms on the use of thought experiments, stories, This is uncharacteristic of Western thought experiments where the philosopher presents the imagined, One could, for example, think here of Zhuangzis famous butterfly dream that concludes chapter 2 of. <>>> Why else would he deem the gourd worthy of destruction? Feeling in Zhuangzi: From Joy to Serenity. In Expressions of States of Mind in Asia, edited by Paolo Santangelo. 2018. Register a free Taylor & Francis Online account today to boost your research and gain these benefits: An International Journal of the Philosophical Traditions of the East, A logical analysis of the debate on Hao River, Department of Philosophy, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China, /doi/full/10.1080/09552367.2022.2108108?needAccess=true. Thats what fish really enjoy!. Cheng, Anne. Master Sacrifice went to ask after him. Perhaps Zhuangzi would affirm Master Chariot for being so free. Or in Jacksons case, why couldnt he just have stated that there are things about our experience of color that cannot be learned through propositions in science? The Zhuangzi presentation of Hui Shis views concludes: He had many perspectives and his library would fill five carts but his doctrine was selfcontradictory. volume20,pages 133148 (2021)Cite this article. If thats so, then its not helpful in informing us about what to do in the real-world case, and now we have two problem cases instead of one.12 He also implies that the difficult features of the actual case that were selectively removed might in fact be relevant in terms of what we ought to do in the actual case. Napoli: Universit degli Studie di Napoli LOrientale.. A true language learner must be like the crooked tree of Zhuangzi, not seeking perfection of form, but prospering by taking advantage of surrounding resources. 3 0 obj Instead, you worried that it was too wide to scoop into anything, which I guess means the mind of our greatly esteemed master here is still clogged up, occupied with its bushes and branches! (Zhuangzi 7-8). Were There Inner Chapters in the Warring States? The debate between Zhuangzi and Huizi has profound epistemological significance, however, the main body of their debate comprises logical inferences and refutations. For example, Nozick claims that no one would actually plug into his Experience Machine for life, and he uses this to argue that there is something wrong with utilitarianism, the view which states that all we should care about is maximizing pleasure. And like Zhuangzis creative innovation, turning a gourd into a boat, the greater, higher man recreates what is possible for himself. Zhuang Zi and the Education of the Emotions. Comparative Philosophy 9.1: 3246. endobj Beijing: Foreign Languages Press. Zhuang Zi: De volledige geschriften: Het grote klassieke boek van het Taosme Amsterdam: Uitgeverij Augustus. Such thought experiments, if they exist, are probably not considered good (Western) thought experiments. 24Alternatively, perhaps Zhuangzi thinks Master Chariot is crazy, and he is inventing a character who seems accepting of such ridiculous things happening as a way of questioning the sanity of a mind that is so calm and unperturbedMaster Chariot then would be an example of how Daoist passivity can go too far. There can be no value in it. But for the purposes of this paper, lets be charitable going forward and assume that there is some positive value in using thought experiments or made-up characters and stories as vehicles to raise questions or make a point. The goal is to figure out what to do in the actual case, which can shed light on what our prima facie duties are in other actual cases. Chuang-Tzu. This word is also used in the title of the first chapter of the Zhuangzi: Free and Easy Wandering (xiao yao you ). Paris: ditions de lencyclopdie des nuisances. Shun, Kwong-loi. Perhaps none other than reflection, broadening of the mind, wonder. 16Piggy-backing on this, after a clear question is raised through the thought experiment, there is often a claim being advanced by the originator of the experiment. 2Reading Zhuangzi one encounters anecdotes that are not quite the same as a classic Western thought experiment, and yet there are several similarities we might note. My premises and conclusion follow from each other; therefore, me conclusion is logically valid. Moreover, by elaborating on the implicit premises omitted by Zhuangzi and Huizi, the actual logical process of the debate can be restored, and the logical fallacy of clandestine change of argumentative issue are revealed. I cut them into pieces to make ladles, but they were so flat and broad that they wouldn't hold anything. 2004. What is there to dislike? 2001. 3 In fact, in Zhuangzis case, the featured voices are often non-human. I know it by standing here on the bridge of the River Hao.. 2010. Si, L , trans. https://www.academia.edu/35172330/Zhuangzis_Doctrine_of_No_Emotions_forthcoming_in_Dao_Companion_to_the_Philosophy_of_the_Zhuangzi_Kim_Chong_Chong_and_Kai_Yuan_Cheng_eds_final_draft (last accessed on October 12, 2020). Nothing Can Overcome Heaven: The Notion of Spirit in the Zhuangzi. In Hiding the World in the World: Uneven Discourses on the Zhuangzi, edited by Scott Cook. Bradley, Scott P. 2015. 2004. Leiden: Brill. 2011. Bryan Van Norden and Philip Ivanhoe write of Zhuangzi saying, rather than delivering a message, the Zhuangzi seems to go out of its way to defy understanding. 2013. Being in the forest industry, I know that a crooked tree is not suitable for making standard commodity lumber products, but it can make high quality decorative products which feature its natural beauty and individuality. One thing that does seem clear is that Zhuangzi advances the view that anything one asserts is necessarily from a certain perspective. Zhuang Zi and the Education of the Emotions. Comparative Philosophy 9.1: 3246. Zhongguancun 59, Haidian District, Beijing, 100872, China, Hoger Instituut voor Wijsbegeerte, KU Leuven, Kardinaal Mercierplein 2, 3000, Leuven, Belgium, You can also search for this author in Ren, Songyao. Part of Springer Nature. The unrealistic nature of a thought experiment is one thing that can differentiate it from other counterfactual reasoning. Chuang-Tzu: The Inner Chapters. Daoism: Laozi and Zhuangzi. In World Philosophy, edited by Jay L. Garfield and William Edelglass. Now had I used this for holding liquids, it would have been too heavy to lift; and had I cut it in half for ladles, the ladles would have been too flat for such purpose. What should you do?1, Huizi said to Zhuangzi, The king of Wei left me the seeds of a big gourd. Guiyang : Guizhou Renmin Chubanshe . But more on that when we return to discuss the Equalizing Assessment of Things in chapter two. Wheres the problem? you might be wondering. Albany: State University of New York Press. This is the necessary humility for one to overcome his arrogance. Google Scholar. China. 2001. 2014. He is trapped within the boundaries of his own preconceptions. Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations. Huizi, aka Hui Shi, was a representative of the School of Names. With Zhuangzi, however, its not clear that understanding his stories is supposed to lead us back to some aspect of human life. Wilhelm, Richard, trans. Wandering on the Way. 2019. Dordrecht: Springer. (LogOut/ Again on Qing: With a Translation of the Guodian Xing Zi Ming Chu. Oriens Extremus 47: 97159. With Zhuangzi, on the other hand, the people, animals and objects that defy reality do not necessarily teach us something about a reality of our own lives, except perhaps the idea that we are often limited by those realities. 25 One could, for example, think here of Zhuangzis famous butterfly dream that concludes chapter 2 of the Zhuangzi or of his testimony about his reaction to his wifes death in chapter 18. In Les pres du systme Taoste. Zhuang Zi . 18ZDA031]. USefullnes is. Fundamentals of Comparative and Intercultural Philosophy. 5 Howick Place | London | SW1P 1WG. 2003. are sufficiently exhaustive to make his conclusion sound. 2007. 1913/1983. New York: Bantam Books. Huizi took the utility of gourds as being their usefulness as containers or drinking vessels, and so concluded that the gourds in question being too large for this purpose had no utility; Zhuangzi pointed out that there is a perspective that Huizi had not considered -- utility not as a container but as a raft -- from which this is not so. 2000. Paris: Cathasia, 2e tirage. ______. The Ethics of Responding Properly: The Notion Qing in Early Chinese Thought. In Love and Emotions in Traditional Chinese Literature, edited by Halvor Eifring. At other times, he presents a story and just leaves it more up to the reader to interpret. Dao 20, 133148 (2021). Nothing has ever beaten Heaven. Kjellberg, Paul, trans. Leiden: Brill. 2014. The Zhuangist Views on Emotions. Asian Philosophy 28.1: 5567. The Complete Works of Chuang Tzu. Rather, we are freed when we can leave this (human) self and life behind. Guo, Xiang , and Cheng Xuanying , annot. ______, trans. Most scholars have understood qing in this exchange as referring to feelings or emotions. We take issue with such readings. Klein, Esther. Das wahre Buch vom sdlichen Bltenland. The yak and the weasel. In both, finding the message of the work or the intention of its creator is not necessarily the purpose of the piece as much as is engaging with it and walking away with something even if that something is not an understanding of the actual work but rather a broadening of the mind, an interesting question, or a pleasurable experience. One who has achieved the intellectual flexibility to recognize that a gourd (although normally used as a ladle) can (if big enough) also serve as a boat has also achieved the flexibility to see the value in things at which the many laugh.22. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Each moment, the opportunity to switch between Huizi and Zhuangzi presents itself. Ren, Songyao. Qin, Xuqing , and Sun Yongchang , trans. Therefore, this paper mainly focuses on the logical aspects of the debate. Zhuangzi. 2011. Once weve gotten the message e.g., about utilitarianism, physicalism, or transformations in life Zhuangzi is suggesting that in some sense we can leave behind the artificial intellectual trap that got us the idea. 18In this vein perhaps we could draw an analogy between Zhuangzis work and some works in modern art where its not always clear to the observer what the artist was going for. Early Confucian Perspectives on Emotions. In Dao Companion to Classical Confucian Philosophy, edited by Vincent Shen. Changsha: Hunan Renmin Chubanshe. Zhuangzis Doctrine of No-Emotion (pre-production draft). And often, they do. 2014. Dschuang-Dsi. Ma, Lin, and Jaap van Brakel. If you are content with the time and abide by the passing, theres no room for sorrow or joy. One might also describe this as engaging in Socratic Dialectical thought. Saggi in onore di Lucia Pizzo Russo, la neurofenomenologia. <> This study presents clear modern logic analysis of the debate; it can also provide a more reliable logical basis for the discussions of Zhuangzi and Huizis related philosophical thoughts. First, we demonstrate that, while Huizi probably understands qing as something like feelings or emotions, Zhuangzis view is that having qing is connected with making shifei judgments whereas having no qing means that shifei has no grip on those ren, especially the shengren. I planted them, and they grew to the size of five bushels. New York: Seven Bridges Press. 1920. While Laozi and Zhuangzi cause us to break out of the mundane meanings, categories and concepts that clutter and carve up our mindscape, they point to an even 2014. This article was supported by National Social Sciences Funding (Major Program) of China [Grant No. ______, trans. Contrast the greater man with the lesser. Recommended articles lists articles that we recommend and is powered by our AI driven recommendation engine. URL: http://journals.openedition.org/estetica/5889; DOI: https://doi.org/10.4000/estetica.5889, Creative Commons - Attribuzione - Non commerciale - Non opere derivate 4.0 Internazionale - CC BY-NC-ND 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/, Vedi la notizia bibliografica nel catalogo OpenEdition, Mappa del sito Contatti Crediti RSS Feed, Norme sulla privacy Cookie Policy Segnala un problema, Noi aderiamo a OpenEdition Edito con Lodel Accesso riservato, Sarai reindirizzato su OpenEdition Search, Briding traditions. 2015. I filled it with liquid, 1995. This engenders in him an arrogance which in turn leads him to believe that that which makes sense to him is necessarily correct. In seeking the truth, philosophers have long used fiction and counterfactual scenarios to raise and answer questions, to foster dialogue or give a commentary on some facet of life. Some scholars have suggested that Huizis argument is self-contradictory; however, in fact, based on such evaluations of Huizis argument, we can conclude that Zhuangzis logic is also self-contradictory. Dao Legge, James, trans. Correspondence to Zhuangzi helps us to reckon with the fact that we necessarily come to the world with a certain perspective there is no view from nowhere but we are invited through Zhuangzis stories to get out of that perspective and see that of others. Giles, Herbert A., trans. Nozick, R., 1974,Anarchy, State, and Utopia, New York, Basic Books. Taipei : Shijie Shuju ; http://www.terebess.hu/english/chuang.html (last accessed on October 12, 2020). It only seems useless to you because you want to turn it into something else and dont know how to appreciate it for what it is. 2012. This kind of tree will resist wind and disease better than the more uniform trees of the plantation forest. Contemporary Annotations and Translations of the Zhuangzi . 2010. Ziporyn, Brook, trans. ______, trans. 2008. It is at this juncture which we return to Zhuangzis answer, to Kun skyward transformation into Peng, and to the scoldquails ignorance of Pengs necessity to soar so high for so far a journey. The Status of Qing in Philosophical Texts of Ancient China. In Expressions of States of Mind in Asia, edited by Paolo Santangelo. For example, Robert Nozick imagines a machine that can give a person whatever experiences she desires.16 While in this Experience Machine the person will really feel the pleasure of those experiences and will not know that its all just a simulation. Zhuangzi writes: Suddenly, Master Chariot got sick. By utilizing modern logical analysis tools, this study reveals what and how the propositions and inferences contained in the language of the debate are articulated accurately and strictly. Wandering on the Way. stream But in cherry picking some famous thought experiments and anecdotes in the Zhuangzi, I will demonstrate that there are a couple of interesting differences to draw out that I think would apply to many pairings of a Western thought experiment and one of Zhuangzis stories. 7Then there are other thought experiments where the humans themselves are unique. Change). Anecdotes and thought experiments in Zhuangzi and Western philosophy, Rethinking Philosophy, Semiotics, and the Arts with Umberto Eco, Rethinking Schelling. He lives an unexamined life and is thereby ignorant of his own ignorance. 2023 Springer Nature Switzerland AG. Therefore, this paper mainly focuses on the logical aspects of the debate. The Tradition of Emotive Writing in the Zhuangzi and Its Echoes in Later Generations. Frontiers of Philosophy in China 10.3: 340352. Bradenton, FL: BookLocker. That is to say, we each contain this same oppositional force within and among us. 2018. This curiosity about the man behind the story I will return to later. Das wahre Buch vom sdlichen Bltenland. Saggi in onore di Diego Marconi, Portale di risorse digitali in scienze umane e sociali, Differences between thought experiments and stories in Zhuangzi, Catalogo dei 610 riviste. Lin, Yutang , trans. Emotion in Pre-Qin Ruist Moral Theory: An Explanation of Dao Begins in Qing. Philosophy East and West 53.2: 271281. He was down to earth and had a tongue in cheek sense of humour. Wieger, Lon, trans. Emotion and Agency in Zhuangzi. Asian Philosophy: An International Journal of the Philosophical Traditions of the East 21.1: 97121. Albany: State University of New York Press. Eno, Robert, trans. Huizi destroys is because it is worthless to him but Zhuangzi gets mad and says that he could have used it 2015. Paris: Les belles lettres. 1993. In raising a question, or challenging or illustrating a certain view, the thought experiment stands on its own. Zhuangzi: The Essential Writings. The Philosophy of Life: A New Reading of the Zhuangzi. Or in Searles Chinese Room, Searle argues that because he is functioning just like a computer running a program but understands nothing of the meaning of the inputs and outputs (in Chinese) that he is manipulating, so artificial intelligence, just in virtue of running a certain program, does not have understanding. We show that these peaceful attitudes are associated with the idea of wuwei in the Zhuangzi. My teachings are like this.. 27In comparison, Zhuangzis stories arguably fail as good thought experiments because there often isnt a clear question being asked, nor is it always evident what position Zhuangzi is trying to advance, what distinctions or aspects of the story he thinks are important, etc. Perhaps Zhuangzi sees his role as roaming through the world and drawing our attention to the various kinds of creatures and reactions to life they can have, but he himself wants to remain silent on the question of which lives or responses, if any, are best. Indianapolis: Hackett. He made fun of ritual, dogma, and pretentious moralizing. 2009. In the story, Huizi was talking about this tree to Zhuangzi, the early Daoist philosopher. Albany: State University of New York Press. 2010. WebHuizi said to Zhuangzi, Can a ren indeed be without qing? The reply was, He can.But on what grounds do you call him a ren, who is thus without qing? Zhuangzi said, The Avanguardia, cinema, immagini, social objects from intentionality to documentality, numero speciale, supplemento al n. 55| 2014, aesthetic experience in the evolutionary perspective, wineworld. Searle, J., 1980, Minds, brains and programs, Behavioral and Brain Sciences, III: 417-457. Liu, Qingping. Machek, David. A New Commentary on the Zhuangzi [in modern Chinese] . I cut it in half to make a dipper, bit it was too wide to scoop into anything. Van Norden, B., 1996, Competing interpretations of the inner chapters of the Zhuangzi, Philosophy East West, University of Hawaii Press. 8One hallmark of thought experiments is that they involve stretching ones imagination for a time in order to imagine either an unusual human, an unusual situation, or both. 2013. I cannot stress enough the importance of being an independent individual in order to achieve success in language learning. It is the acknowledgement of his ignorance which give him a reason to better himselfbecause he knows just how far he is from who he could become. I split them into ladles but they were too big to dip into anything. 1928/1989. Taipei : Shijie Shuju ; http://www.terebess.hu/english/chuang.html (last accessed on October 12, 2020). The Background of the Mencian Theory of Human Nature. Tsing Hua Journal of Chinese Studies 6.12: 215271. London: Bernard Quaeitch. Dordrecht: Springer. 23 This is uncharacteristic of Western thought experiments where the philosopher presents the imagined case and then discusses what it implies. 3Of course there is no way in one paper that I could hope to take into consideration the variety of contemporary Western thought experiments and compare them to even half of the fables we find in the Zhuangzi. The Asian master of wit and storytelling is the Daoist, Zhuangzi (sometimes spelled Chuang-Tzu). 3099067 habit that he would encourage us to recognize and free ourselves of. Machek, David. Napoli: Universit degli Studie di Napoli LOrientale.. Must? Now you had these gigantic gourds. Zhuangzi; The Complete Writings, translated by Brook Ziporyn, Hackett Publishing Company Inc., 2020. Such is the happiness of fishes. You not being a fish, said Huizi, how can I planted it, and when it matured it weighed over a hundred pounds. Such distractions can be left out of fabricated cases so that we can better focus on the relevant moral principles. Dordrecht: Springer. It was big and all, but because it was so useless I finally just smashed it to pieces., Zhuangzi said, You are certainly stupid when it comes to using big things. Or consider the story of Huizi and the yard-long gourd that was too big to be a ladle so Huizi smashes it because it was useless.20 Zhuangzi then tells a story about a smart traveler who knew how to make good use of an ointment for chapped hands.