Thoughts on Taoism

Convergence with Nature: A Daoist Perspective by David E. Cooper
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Enjoyable sophisticated account that avoids  stereotypical characterisations like primitivism while explaining central concepts like Wu Wei ( Wu Wei is not passivity or apathy but spontaneity)  ,  Dao( the way which opens the way to all other ways  putting 'The' before it is wrong ) , Te( 'virtue'  'power'), and the Taoist opposition to dualism ( it does not reduce everything down to bits of some mushy whole or deny differences exist). Very rarely have I seen those treated in such  a careful cautious attentive fashion. The passion the author has for Taoism is clear.

The author carefully argues with nuance  the causes of ecological crisis re philosophical , religious, and political. However I was disappointed with the authors conclusion which was to cast doubt on the ecological crisis even occurring despite everything previously said   and to suggest as  a 'solution' withdrawal and lifestylism    the author was right to say this cannot be automatically deduced fro Wu Wei. Instead the author says eco-activism would upset taoist concepts of Te of virtue and taoist 'impartiality'.

They argue that ultimately  Taoism is about self cultivation so Taoists should stick with gardening and lifestyle changes as well as cultivating personal qualities , this is unsatisfying as far as I'm concerned. He does consider activism  could follow fro Taoist principles but fails to explore that possibility, dropping previous rigour which has been present all through the book.

To me it seems obvious that if Taoism  rejects the idea of the atomized  self ,  if current society is untaoist, and if fulfilment of individuals can only come through a fulfilling society then it must be political.
If political activism  conflicts with Taoism  then maybe  this is where Taoism  ceases  to be useful.

9 of out ten.

Things I like about Taoism

1.Opposed to  dualism and Cartesian  thinking  esp mind vs body or human vs nature
2.pro human  body pro pleasure pro nature pro animals  
3.ideas and use  of dialectics
4.  quite ecological and anti-anthropocentric  useful for green thinking
5. parallels and affinities  with anarchist thinking - opposed to competition,  opposed to war but not pacifist, opposed to prohibitions,opposed to aggression, opposed to consumerism, opposed to stereotypically macho  traits , visions of better society are communal,local and peaceful , I don't think it can endorse or support capitalism since it is opposed to capitalist values , you cannot teach by rote learning or trying to convert but by practice and example, opposed to destroying the Earth, seems to fit with Green  Communism,
6.talks of constant change
7.rejects idea of fixed self
8.goodness is not just following rules or rituals
9.not evangelical
10.non hierarchal in its earlier forms
11. Earlier Taoism  was very grounded in the here and now  very humanistic
12. To me superior to Abrahamic   religions
13. Extremely profound
14.poetic
15.NOT  primitivists
16. The Taoist sage or good person is very human
17.opposes excesses or over reliance on technology and science but is not utterly opposed to either
18. corrects lots of western modern  thinking with better thinking
19.


Problems with Taoism

Possibly pointing to the limits of its usefulness  I guess I'm ultimately   a pragmatist   first and foremost

1.Ethical : If Wu Wei is spontaneity and Wu Wei is good then does it follow that whatever is spontaneous is good and doesn't this risk endorsing paedophiles etc feels reluctant to judge which could risk relativism

2.Political :  Is Taoism  opposed to political activism  and doesn't this mean  it becomes a liberal philosophy  betraying its principles and acting unwittingly  to protect the existing order