Lao Tzu Research Paper

Mao Zedong was born in the Shaoshan village in the Hunan Province of China in 1893. Born to a peasant farmer who independently became wealthy, Mao became a revolutionary whose theoretical ideas spurred him into taking action against imperialist China. His father was noted to be a very strict man who wanted Mao to follow in his footsteps on the farm. Mao, however, was rebellious and had other ideas that he wished to pursue. He was a lover of books and learning the ways of many theoretical writers. One of his favorites for which he would eventually style his own beliefs and actions after is Karl Marx. These would come to be known as Maoism.

Serenity and peacefulness are Lao-Tzu’s focal points throughout “Thoughts from the Tao-te Ching.” By stating, “Violence, even well intentioned, / always rebounds on oneself.” he establishes his belief that war is problematic for everyone involved. (60; sec. 30). War disrupts the nature of peace which goes against everything that Lao-Tzu stands for. While having a country where war and violence are obsolete sounds ideal, it is not realistic. Leaders can only control their own people, and even then, they are at the liberty of what their people are willing to do. Lao-Tzu’s form of government only works if leaders from all around the world abide by the same principles and implement peacefulness among their own

As the rain began to come down in an awkward fashion, as if it were

Some of the most debated topics in America are based on politics. Everyone from homemakers to astronauts have their personal opinions of how the country should be governed. With so many political opinions and so little facts being used in decision making in our government, most of the pressing issues seem to be increasingly growing. There is very little consensus in our country today, hence bipartisanship being a hot topic among politicians. In my opinion, politicians act off of ego fighting to protect the political party with which they are associated. Often the common good of America is an afterthought when addressing issues in the country. People allow many factors to get in the way of everyday living

Education now is something that is a way of life, just as eating is. However historically, education was one of the only ways to stand out in society, to be a ‘gentlemen’. Hsun Tzu and Frederick Douglas, though worlds apart, share many similarities on their view of education and what it should be like; at the same time, each text contains key elements that show how different their views can be and the reason behind it.

On the other hand, Lao-tzu admits that being the best leader, partly depends on how people feel about him/her. As he said in his book, “Next best is a leader who is loved. Next one who is feared. The worst is one who is despised.” (Lao-tzu 17) There are many examples of how successful leaders can be when they are being loved by their people. It is a natural act that affects them in being let to stay in power or not. Similarly, governments at the moment face this fact too and as we see throughout the world, governments are being overthrown because of their people’s distaste and hate. That is

Hsun Tzu's philosophy is built from the idea that human beings are by nature inherently evil, and the good they produce will only come through their conscious activity. Hsun Tzu believes that if man follows his nature and indulges in his natural desires, without transforming himself by conscious activity he is doomed to fall victim to his evil nature. "Any man who follows his nature will inevitably become involved in wrangling and strife, will violate the forms and rules of society, and will end as a criminal." Despite the pessimistic tone of Hsun Tzu's message he does propose conscious activity as a solution to man's evil. This paper will examine Hsun Tzu's perspective in light of both Mencius

As you can imagine, any government today that exclusively follows the recommendations of either Lao-Tzu or Machiavelli would undoubtedly fail. If Lao-Tzu's philosophy alone is followed, the leaders would leave the state open for an outside attack. On the other hand, if Machiavelli's tactics are used, the leaders would be in a constant state of paranoia, and the people would live in fear. Clearly, we see that no government or leader is

(Smith 196-99; Tao Je Ding scripture) Explain the life and characteristics of Lao Tzu. How does the enigmatic character of Lao Tzu’s biography also reflect the enigmatic (in other words: mysterious, paradoxical) character of the Tao Je Ding? Give one or more specific example from this scriptural text citing the specific chapter.

Perhaps in his time Lao-Tzu viewed that his interpretation of human nature was entirely possible, but as far as the twenty-first century is involved, the idea that if societies are left unattended we are able to “Trust them” (§ 75, 59) is absurd. It can be argued legitimately that Lao-Tzu’s concepts have been applied and in fact have proven to be extremely effective. For example, a capitalistic, laissez-faire approach to governing, particularly the form advocated by American Republicans. However, cases of removing regulations and adopting the leadership standards Lao-Tzu advises have been strictly applied to market economics, not to each and every facet of government.

Tao Te Ching of Lao-Tzu is a book with many chapters in it showing the two different sides to basically everything. To break it down, Tao means “path” or “way”, Te means “to get”, and Ching means “great book”. So the Tao was the force that controlled the universe and appreciated the way, to find balance between opposites. The book, Tao Te Ching has been said to been written by a Laozi—an old master—and has been said that the true author (or authors’) name has been lost. In the chapters between the book it tells how to live a life of integrity and of greatness per say. It also has contradictions or paradoxes which allows us to see the both perspectives of each side. It shows us that there are always two sides to everything. Tao Te Ching

In “The Daodejing,” Laozi, similar to many prominent Chinese philosophers before and after his time, discusses his unique perspective of the “Way.” There is much controversy, however, regarding whether Laozi was the actual author of this text or was even a real person, and “his” work is thought to have been a composite. (For the purpose of clarity, throughout this paper, the author(s) of “The Daodejing” will be mentioned as Laozi.) Laozi’s vision of the “Way” is exceptionally challenging to define using words because of its metaphysical nature. Although this term is somewhat difficult to envision, it is what mankind should aspire and take action to be aligned with. According to Laozi, in “readings in Classical Chinese Philosophy,” the “Way” (or dao) is the “source, sustenance, and ideal state of all things in the world” (Laozi 158). It can be best thought of as the underlying guiding force of all events that occur in the universe, and mankind is closer to the “Way” when they realize that all things are interconnected and have an effect on one another. As might be expected, this vague definition isn’t a foolproof depiction of the eighty-one chapters in the “Daodejing,” but one is able to grasp a basic understanding of Laozi’s ineffable doctrine. Although numerous chapters are meaningful and could provide substantial analysis, this paper will focus in on Chapter Twelve. Ultimately, this chapter adequately and efficaciously compresses the teachings of “The Daodejing” into

Taoism and Confucianism are two primary Chinese ways of thinking. Historically, these two philosophies have been viewed as polar opposites, but upon further research, they have the same mission. The belief system of Taoism viewed in Tao Te Ching, written by Lao Tzu, is the monistic belief that human kind has a connection to the universe, and the “way” controls your life and everything that you do. The “way” has a pre-determined plan for your life, and you must sit back and follow it. On the other hand, Confucianism represented in The Art of War, shows that you have to work and discipline yourself to become complete. The Art of War is essentially a “battle plan”, and “Tao Te Ching “ is a essentially a book of ultimate humility. These two pieces seem quite different with their own different goals. While Confucianism and Taoism have different ways of reaching their respective goals, their goals and their destiny is essentially the same: and that is self-control.

May I make a request and have you go through my answers to the additional exercise to see whether they are correct or not, and give some suggestions or tips about the theoretical questions in the midterm 2? Please kindly refer to the attachment to have a look at my answer paper.

The name Laozi comprises of two sections, the first Lao means old and the second part Zi means master, and the old master is credited with authoring a literary piece that was called Laozi, a common practice in Chinese culture of naming a work by the authors credentials. The Laozi was later recognized as a Chinese literary classic- Jing, due to its profound significance. Consequently, the work was accorded the title of Daojeding, becoming the most literary translation (Wagnerv). This was because the Laozi was concerned with the way, (Dao), and the manner in which the work was based on an expression of virtue (de) through its indigenous inclination (Ziran) despite its sense of non-action (wuwei). However, these derivatives are subject to various divergent literary interpretations by other scholars. However, while literature enthusiasts view this as an evidence of Laozi mystic sense of literal mastery, others view it as a profound contribution to ethics and political philosophy from ancient Chinese culture that can only be useful to people who have a high sense of literary analytic competency as well as an informed historical background (Wagner).