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Bill and I have been watching Smiley's People that has finally come out here on DVD. It is wonderful, and contains Alec Guiness. I'd forgotten how much I used to enjoy John le Carre's books when I was younger. It made me excited about getting old. Not something that normally happens. Just really great to see old people being cool and inteligent and getting things done, having interesting pasts, and not being portayed as bumbling idiots. I can't wait to finish watching tommorow night. Now back to studies...
So I have to admit that as much as I love Chinese history, literature, religion and mythology I just don't care all that much for Chinese philosophy. I think it's part of a bigger problem I have with philosophy in general. One I've been trying to articulate lately but haven't been able to in any coherent form yet. But this week in my history class we are studying the philosophers. I find them rather boring but the time period of the warring states fascinating. It was such a time of great change, constant warfare and danger and turbulance. Not one I'd want to live in, or really inflict on anyone else, but it makes for interesting history. It was during this time that philosophy flourished in China. As people went around trying to sell their services to the different states and trying to come up with reasons why the other states should hire them.
But we had to read an article, which I believe is a chapter in a book by AC Graham on taoism for class entitled, "Lao-Tsu's Taoism: The art of ruling by Spontaneity". For the first time it was able to take the confusing and mystifying ideas of taoism, set them in their proper historical context and suddenly it all made sense. He stated that the defining arguement was one based on fear, the goal, survival. Lao Tsu writing for a ruler of a small kingdom in a time when big kingdoms were trying to take over the world and your territory and suddenly all the yielding and passivity made sense. It suddenly seemed to be a very inteligent and practical way of dealing with a very real and practical problem. (I never thought I'd say that about the long mystical incomprehensible poem) The idea of strength through yielding seemed a good way to deal with an agressive neighbor. The idea that the strong become weak once they've reached their zenith, also seems very practical and had been observed a great deal in the existance of the states around them. Once again context is everything. When I finally realised this more and more started to make sense. I think it was the article I've enjoyed most so far in class. Which really isn't saying much as it's only been 3 classes worth of reading. But heck it's a good start.
But we had to read an article, which I believe is a chapter in a book by AC Graham on taoism for class entitled, "Lao-Tsu's Taoism: The art of ruling by Spontaneity". For the first time it was able to take the confusing and mystifying ideas of taoism, set them in their proper historical context and suddenly it all made sense. He stated that the defining arguement was one based on fear, the goal, survival. Lao Tsu writing for a ruler of a small kingdom in a time when big kingdoms were trying to take over the world and your territory and suddenly all the yielding and passivity made sense. It suddenly seemed to be a very inteligent and practical way of dealing with a very real and practical problem. (I never thought I'd say that about the long mystical incomprehensible poem) The idea of strength through yielding seemed a good way to deal with an agressive neighbor. The idea that the strong become weak once they've reached their zenith, also seems very practical and had been observed a great deal in the existance of the states around them. Once again context is everything. When I finally realised this more and more started to make sense. I think it was the article I've enjoyed most so far in class. Which really isn't saying much as it's only been 3 classes worth of reading. But heck it's a good start.
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