Early Confucian Perspectives on Emotions. In Dao Companion to Classical Confucian Philosophy, edited by Vincent Shen. WebThinking outside of convention vs. Huizi's logic Turn gourds into buoys The value of uselessness The useless tree - because its not useful to the world it can grow and What is there to dislike? Change is to be welcomed, and nothing should be held onto too tightly, because change itself is the only constant thing. Huizi said to Zhuangzi, The King of Wei gave me the seed of a great gourd. First I will discuss Western thought experiments and a few reasons that have been given for and against using these tools to acquire knowledge. Zhuangzi: The Essential Writings. 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. Therefore, this paper mainly focuses on the logical aspects of the debate. In fact, its hard to think of a thought experiment where the question being asked is not clear. The question of what exactly Zhuangzis positive project might be is beyond the scope of this paper, but the point remains that the idea that we are even wondering about who Zhuangzi is as a philosopher, or how he would want us to analyze him in light of his stories, is something that we dont typically see when we turn to Western philosophers advancing certain thought experiments. The Ethics of Responding Properly: The Notion Qing in Early Chinese Thought. In Love and Emotions in Traditional Chinese Literature, edited by Halvor Eifring. Even though the lessons are in story form, that doesnt mean that they are easy to decipher. On another nearby track there is only one person working. And like Zhuangzis creative innovation, turning a gourd into a boat, the greater, higher man recreates what is possible for himself. 2003. This seems at odds with Zhuangzi as one of the two main Hansen, Chad. 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. 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. Van Norden, B., 1996, Competing interpretations of the inner chapters of the Zhuangzi, Philosophy East West, University of Hawaii Press. If, in time, he turns my left arm into a rooster, Ill use it to crow the day. Contemporary Annotations and Translations of the Zhuangzi . Paris: Cathasia, 2e tirage. . Wheres the problem? you might be wondering. He believes he knows what a gourd is capable of and useful for; and therefore, he believes that his conclusion about his great gourd is correct; therefore, he believes that his trials (filling it, cutting it into a dipper, etc.) 2011. 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. 2005. 1985. Thomson, J., 1985, The Trolley Problem, Yale Law Journal, 94: 1395-1415. Klein, Esther. What follows is that the expression wuqing should not be identified as a doctrine of nonemotion. Instead, wuqing implies that Zhuangzi advises us to lead a life of tranquility, calmness, and stillness. Albany: SUNY Press. Jackson, F., 1986, What Mary didnt know, Journal of Philosophy, 83: 291-295. The yak and the weasel. There is a question in the literature about whether Zhuangzi is more of a relativist or a skeptic15, and it is often hard to pin down what his own stance positive stance is, if he has one. Reding, Jean-Paul. Albany: State University of New York Press. Even though the lessons are in story form, that doesnt mean that they are easy to decipher. Many involve imagining human beings as participants. crits de Matre Wen , . 28Traditional Western thought experiments and stories in Zhuangzi serve several purposes that might be harder to achieve with more straightforward argumentation or prose. Feeling in Zhuangzi: From Joy to Serenity. In Expressions of States of Mind in Asia, edited by Paolo Santangelo. Register to receive personalised research and resources by email. The Zhuangist Views on Emotions. Asian Philosophy 28.1: 5567. Jackson has actually since changed his position on the thesis of physicalism and he no longer thinks its false. If you are content with the time and abide by the passing, theres no room for sorrow or joy. 2010. Lenehan, Katia. Zhuang Zi . Jinan : Qilu Shushe . Wilhelm, Richard, trans. 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. In the story, Huizi was talking about this tree to Zhuangzi, the early Daoist philosopher. 2015. 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. Napoli: Universit degli Studie di Napoli LOrientale.. Sometimes he offers a direct commentary on a certain character or view; other times he doesnt. His logic must be correct, as proven by its consistency with itself; therefore, he feels justified in taking vengeancein mocking, destroying, demolishing, and abolishing all those things which make him too keenly aware of the conflict. In these classic thought experiments, and many others, there is a clear question being asked. Chai, David. He made fun of ritual, dogma, and pretentious moralizing. 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. Learn more about Institutional subscriptions. The vehicle of story makes Zhuangzi memorable for sure who can forget the idea of someones arm turning into a rooster? 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. 2012. Oxford: Oxford University Press. We show that these peaceful attitudes are associated with the idea of wuwei in the Zhuangzi. Why should we be so troubled by an arm that turns into a rooster? 2007. Changsha: Hunan Renmin Chubanshe. ______. Zhuangzi: The Inner Chapters. I split them into ladles but they were too big to dip into anything. The debate between Zhuangzi and Huizi has profound epistemological significance, however, the main body of their debate comprises logical inferences and refutations. Huizi and Zhuangzi about gourds; the story of Cook Ding (sometimes called Butcher Ding); and the story of Wheelwright Pian. WebHuizi and Zhuangzi. This kind of tree will resist wind and disease better than the more uniform trees of the plantation forest. The video below (Flight from the Shadow) is an example of the type of teaching he engaged in. He sees his potential and is motivated as if by a guiding star upon which a wish might be fulfilled. ______. Leiden: Brill. Again on Qing: With a Translation of the Guodian Xing Zi Ming Chu. Oriens Extremus 47: 97159. Imagine that you are the driver of a runaway trolley heading towards five people who are working on the trolley tracks in front of you. Jackson uses this thought experiment to argue that because Mary gains some knowledge the first time she sees red, she didnt know everything to know about color through knowing all the physical facts about color and so, he says, the thesis of physicalism (i.e., the idea that everything is physical) is false.8. Emotions That Do Not Move: Zhuangzi and Stoics on Self-Emerging Feelings. Dao: A Journal of Comparative Philosophy 14.4: 521544. One thing that does seem clear is that Zhuangzi advances the view that anything one asserts is necessarily from a certain perspective. Leiden: Brill. He really has convinced himself that his knowledge and mode of thinking is complete! volume20,pages 133148 (2021)Cite this article. 8 Jackson has actually since changed his position on the thesis of physicalism and he no longer thinks its false. Dschuang-Dsi. He lives an unexamined life and is thereby ignorant of his own ignorance. In The Sacred Books of the East, edited by F. Max Mller. <> 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. He was down to earth and had a tongue in cheek sense of humour. Google Scholar. Qin, Xuqing , and Sun Yongchang , trans. In the same way, your teachings have no practical use., Zhuangzi replied, This tree may be useless as lumber, but you could rest in the gentle shade of its big branches or admire its rustic character. Zhuangzi does write that Master Chariot is of sound mind. 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. The Status of Qing in Philosophical Texts of Ancient China. In Expressions of States of Mind in Asia, edited by Paolo Santangelo. Feng, Youlan, trans. You tell me, what is the problem with the following syllogism? Emotion and Agency in Zhuangzi. Asian Philosophy: An International Journal of the Philosophical Traditions of the East 21.1: 97121. Sometimes the human beings are normal human beings, but they are involved in highly unusual situations. This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution. 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. 2016. 13 Roy Sorensen 1992 has a discussion of several criticisms on the use of thought experiments, stories, and intuition pumps, as Daniel Dennett calls them. Giles, Herbert A., trans. Zhuangzis famous story about the crooked tree appeals to me for many reasons. Even though the lessons are in story form, that doesnt mean that they are easy to decipher. 2019. Because my conclusion follows logically, my premises must also be correct; therefore, evidence which contradicts my premises must be false; therefore my premises must be true; and therefore my conclusion also must be correct.. Neuchtel: Peter Lang. Although these differences arguably make Zhuangzis anecdotes poor thought experiments, according to Western analytic standards, it seems that if the purpose of a fabricated story is to encourage the reader to broaden her philosophical outlook, to see something more clearly that she might not have seen in a more realistic case, or to provide a more memorable way to retain a point, then Zhuangzis stories are highly effective pedagogical tools. Guo, Xiang , and Cheng Xuanying , annot. Bradenton, FL: BookLocker. 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. 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. Roth, Harold D. 1991. Beijing : Shangwu Yinshuguan . Paris: Cathasia, 2e tirage. Promises and previsions in architecture and philosophy, Nespolo e la filosofia. New York: Seven Bridges Press. Guiyang : Guizhou Renmin Chubanshe . Correspondence to 2001. 5Thought experiments have long been used in philosophy as a way to raise questions or pursue knowledge through considering hypothetical situations. Liu, Xiaogan. Graham, A. C. 1981. Avanguardia, cinema, immagini, social objects from intentionality to documentality, numero speciale, supplemento al n. 55| 2014, aesthetic experience in the evolutionary perspective, wineworld. Schipper, Kristofer, trans. Zhuangzi. Each moment, the opportunity to switch between Huizi and Zhuangzi presents itself. Zhuangzi and Huizi were strolling on a bridge over the River Hao, when the former observed, See how the minnows dart between the rocks! One reason Guo, Xiang , and Cheng Xuanying , annot. Fraser, Chris. Huizi destroys is because it is worthless to him but Zhuangzi gets mad and says that he could have used it 2016. 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. Oxford: Oxford University Press. 17With Zhuangzi, on the other hand, it is often not clear what exactly the point of a story is nor what position Zhuangzi himself might be criticizing or advancing. The debate between Zhuangzi and Huizi has profound epistemological significance, however, the main body of their debate comprises logical inferences and refutations. Paris: ditions de lencyclopdie des nuisances. My organs are all out of order. ______. 2015. Such thought experiments, if they exist, are probably not considered good (Western) thought experiments. 1993. All Is Well in the Great Mess. Different disciplines have their different tools for doing so. 1994. Jena: Diederichs. Then I will explain some differences in the way Zhuangzi presents and uses fictional anecdotes. 20Zhuangzi here seems to be criticizing Huizi for not being creative enough, for being limited in his understanding of the varying uses something can have. One reason Napoli: Universit degli Studie di Napoli LOrientale.. 15Or to take an example not from ethics, John Searle writes about being in a room with a manual that helps him to correlate certain Chinese characters such that he can answer questions given to him in Chinese (even though he knows no Chinese) by referring to a manual written in English about which characters to give in response to which character inputs. Kjellberg, Paul, trans. I have never learned as quickly or as enjoyably as I do now on LingQ. WebZhuangzi, or Chuang-tzu, (born c. 369, Meng, Chinadied 286 bce), Most significant early Chinese interpreter of Daoism and the purported author of the Daoist classic that bears Indianapolis: Hackett. One reason Registered in England & Wales No. Ma, L., van Brakel, J. Revisiting the Exchange between Zhuangzi and Huizi on Qing. 2004. Ziporyn, Brook, trans. My premises and conclusion follow from each other; therefore, me conclusion is logically valid. People want to make sense of him and offer a charitable interpretation where the various threads in his writing can be woven together so we can attribute a consistent view to Zhuangzi. Lin Ma. She knows an enormous amount of information about color, much more than you or I do, but is there anything she doesnt know about color if she has only read all about it? What follows is that the expression wuqing should not be identified as a doctrine of nonemotion. Instead, wuqing implies that Zhuangzi advises us to lead a life of tranquility, calmness, and stillness. How extraordinary of the maker of things to knot me up like this. 23 This is uncharacteristic of Western thought experiments where the philosopher presents the imagined case and then discusses what it implies. Early Confucian Perspectives on Emotions. In Dao Companion to Classical Confucian Philosophy, edited by Vincent Shen. I filled them with water but they werent 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.