Got called away before I could edit that post:
I would have added this excerpt from an encarta article, with the following personal analysis:
The second great philosophy of the classical age was Daoism (Taoism). The philosopher Laozi (Lao-tzu), who probably lived during the 6th century BC, is usually regarded as the founder of this school. Whereas Confucianism sought the full development of human beings through moral education and the establishment of an orderly hierarchical society, Daoism sought to preserve human life by following the Way of Nature (Dao, or Tao) and by reverting to primitive agrarian communities and a government that did not control or interfere with life. Daoism attempted to bring the individual into perfect harmony with nature through a mystical union with the Dao. This mysticism was carried still further by Zhuangzi (Chuang-tzu), a Daoist philosopher of the late 4th century BC, who taught that through mystical union with the Dao the individual could transcend nature and even life and death.
Among the other important schools of this period were Mohism, Naturalism, and the Dialecticians. Mohism, founded by Mozi (Mo-tzu) during the 5th century BC, taught strict utilitarianism and mutual love among all people regardless of family or social relationships. During the 4th century BC, naturalism offered an analysis of the workings of the universe based upon certain cosmic principles. The best known of these were yin and yang, which represented the interacting dualities of nature, such as female and male, shadow and light, and winter and summer. Also in the 4th century BC, dialecticians moved toward a system of logic by analyzing the true meaning of words so as to avoid the logical pitfalls inherent in language.
"Chinese Philosophy," Microsoft® Encarta® Encyclopedia 2000. © 1993-1999 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.
-- I would say that, Confucianism and Taoism are also dualties of nature. Society and Individual, female and male, security and - manly confidence? |
