Word Play

Rational Thought and Taoism

If science is the objective observation of the Natural World, just as Taoism takes an objective approach to its observation of The Way (Tao), then rational thought could be seen as the parallel to Taoism’s “Te”. Rational thought is our attempt to apply objective observation to human actions. Just as “Te” is our human attempt to connect the Tao with human experiences.

Both are objective approaches toward viewing the world, and both are in contrast to the; I/We are “special” human worldview. While the, I/we are “special” human outlook is the dominant worldview, it leads to imbalance when practiced by individuals and groups of people that possess so much power over other species and other people. It is easy to see how this specialness worldview could have grown out of the survival instinct that is present in all species. It’s overgrowth in our species comes to the detriment of nearly all other species and even Earth’s life support system, due to our successful pursuit of more comfortable and secure lives for ourselves. The very long human history of one group using their perceived “specialness” to the detriment of other less powerful groups actually points out our very lack of “specialness” and exposes our species as no more “special” than any other species.

Just as Taoism makes the observation of a duality (sometimes referred to as Yin and Yang) as the fundamental aspects of a singular Reality, science also sees particle and field as the fundamental constituents of Nature. I think of this duality as the forces of separation and connection. Where particle or Yang equates with separation and field or Yin equates with connection.

Think of how you feel when you feel resentment towards others; you want to demarcate the difference between yourself and those you feel resentment towards. Think of how you feel when you are attracted to someone; you want to create connection with that person. There is a parallel here, with particle and field if one examines it carefully. What is a particle but a very small bit of energy with clearly demarcated boundaries and what is a field but an invisible force which reaches out and influences everything within its range of space?

I have not made the case for this hypothesis with such a short synopsis, but it is an introduction at least. The rest of the writing in this category is about demonstrating the parallels mentioned herein.

Does Objective Observation bring Disconnection

In practice, objective observation as described above does require a large degree of indifferent disconnection. Paradoxically, it is this indifferent observation which allows us emerge from the cocoon of the self and see the connections of all things within our universe. The key to understanding this paradox lies in observing the mutually dependent forces of repulsion and attraction. A student of the Tao Te Ching might call these forces Yin and Yang or Female and Male. Our human thought process is trained to read hierarchy into our observations. We are automatically trained to arrange observation into high/lower, good/evil, light/dark, life/death, etc etc. When we observe the two complementary but opposite forces of attraction and repulsion, it is difficult for our minds to embrace them both equally, so we consider it a paradox, something our thoughts find difficult to contain.Our minds our designed for survival and making choices, which in our genetic history means the difference of life and death. For example, which path shall we take; one leads to water the other doesn’t, one leads to shelter the other doesn’t, one leads to food and the other starvation. We are trained by survival to embrace a right choice and a wrong choice. To realize right and wrong choices only apply to the survival of the individual or groups, and have no relevance when applied objectively, this is hard, maybe impossible for us to grasp. This observation leads to the realization of the limitations of thought and words to contain reality and points to a pattern or map which lies within us and a similar map which lies within all things. These patterns or maps, influence our actions without the participation of the conscious mind. You may call them what you will; instinct, genetics, intuition, extrasensory perception but it all points to the existence and value of what I call “intuitive action” or what is described in the Tao Te Ching as “Wu Wei” or “effortless action”. Such action can be effortless because it does not involve the conscious mind.

On Deep Reality

Words or thoughts can not come close to containing it. They can only provide a temporary balm to our fragile selves. I try to remember that is all they are; stories which rise and fade like waves. I don’t let them get in the way of me trying to see the connection of all things. Because that is all I need to find peace within, observing the connection of all things. Observing the connections allows me to practice intuitive action, and be at peace with my path in life. When I am able to do this it becomes clear that all of existence has the same parent. That parent manifests itself to us, as the mutually dependent forces of repulsion and attraction.