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Review: Ethical Types and Daoism  Two broad types of normative theory Teleological (future) and deontological (duty, merit, past)  Two units of analysis.

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Presentation on theme: "Review: Ethical Types and Daoism  Two broad types of normative theory Teleological (future) and deontological (duty, merit, past)  Two units of analysis."— Presentation transcript:

1 Review: Ethical Types and Daoism  Two broad types of normative theory Teleological (future) and deontological (duty, merit, past)  Two units of analysis Act and larger (rule, discourse, tradition, dao)  Grid of 4 & Mencius is Act Deontology  Entails intuitionism as meta-ethical epistemology  Metaphysical development adds 理 li principle to 氣 qi life-force

2 Daoism Origins: Ethos and theory  Reconstructing, not historical affiliations Ethos (anti social/moral) hermits and Yang Zhu  Theory--meta-focus on 'dao' Meaning of, nature of, knowledge of etc.  First theoretical Daoist = Shen Dao Theory of dao as course of action Summed to include the whole world through time

3 Determinism and Fatalism  Shen Dao: One past actual course Many possibilities but one actual future course  Abandon Knowledge You don't need knowledge to follow 大道 the great dao  You will: "even a clod of earth cannot miss" Whatever actually happens is 大道  Reductio of Mozi/Mencius naturalism? Nothing more natural than the actual

4 Two Determinisms & Fatalism  Logical, Scientific, Fatalistic What will be will be (tautology)  Scientific: induction on experience Everything caused/predictable in advance  Neither entails fatalism (soft determinism) Especially Shen Dao—only logical det.  Other problems Unnatural “natural” guide—use language, make shi-fei judgments, have know-how Prescriptive Paradox: To obey is to disobey  C.f. collectively defeating morality

5 Questions Mencius says the heart-mind has an innate shi-fei intuition. Discuss Zhuangzi’s rebuttal of that position. Coffee tutorial Thurs 1 PM Next week—submit times and numbers 10+

6 Analysis of "Knowledge"  Laozi accepts abandon knowledge But not 大道 fatalism (non-dao)  Discourse 道 daos: come in opposites Names 名 (opposites) Distinctions (implied: one per pair) Desires 欲  Innovation: desires generated by names 為 wei deem:do action

7 Problem: Same Paradox?  Distinction of natural and conventional desires Forms of social constraint Language distorts by gross distinction while there are infinite shades in nature  Desire to be natural  Act on the desire (forgetting)  無 為 wu lack wei deem:do a paradox Wu-wei and yet wu-bu-wei 無不為 no concept guided action

8 No Constant Dao  道可道非常道 Any dao that guides is not constant dao-ing  Because based on 名 and 名可名非常名 Any name that names is not constant name-ing  Negative 道 dao guide by emphasizing opposite virtues= 反 reversal Passive, lower, water, cool, submissive, female Constant 道 dao guide ? Unspeakable?

9 Relevance to Mencius  The intuitions that Confucians think are natural are socially cultivated Burial, filial piety, attitudes to authority Status, wealth, style  Hong Kong slavery Innate 天 道 is very thin  Eat, sleep, children, farm, small villages

10 Common Anti-language Problem  墨 辯 Mohist semantic analysis: To say “ language bad ” is bad  以言為盡誖誖也(不可) :說在其言 Paradox of the liar  This sentence is false  Both truth and falsity are contradictory  All Sentences are false Not a paradox But false  Challenge to Zhuangzi

11 Puzzle  All language distorts the 道 dao

12 Zhuangzi: Textual Issues  Relation to Laozi Probably earlier—didn’t know he was 道家 No contact or knowledge  Refer to as Confucian in Inner Chapters  Outer Chapters dialogues a Zhuangist Project a similarity of focus  Construction of desires from language/culture  Relation to School of Names 名 家 closer Friend of 惠 施 Hui Shi  Deals with anti-language paradox better than Hui Shi or Laozi

13 Pipes of 天 tian nature:sky  Human voices and arguing about philosophy is natural Like birds tweeting and frogs croaking  Gives Yangzhu, Mozi and Mencius what they want Not worth anything Want authority over rivals and 天 tian nature:sky fails  Hint from Shen Dao — no normative content  Pure fact — no ought/value

14 Priority of Dao over 天  Must presuppose a 道 dao guide  For a Daoist, 道 dao guide the authority, not 天 tian nature:sky The cosmos doesn't make guiding judgments-- all from a 道 dao guide Cannot escape responsibility for our own dao judgments  Should I follow 天 tian nature:sky ?  No matter what authority

15 Refutation of Mencius  Should follow our hearts and should follow 天 tian nature:sky ( 性 xing nature ) All organs are equally natural  C.f. Mencius' weeds How do you 是 shi this:right a favorite?  Rely on the 心 xin heart-mind ? Begs the question  Take turns or have no ruler?

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