Episode 12: Chuang Tzu’s Taoism: What Is Wisdom?

Summary: Discussing the "Chuang Tzu," Chapters 2, 3, 6, 18, and 19.<br> It's the second-most-famous Taoist text and the most humorous, with anecdotes about people singing at funerals and jumping out of moving coaches while drunk. What could it possibly mean to "make all things equal?" and how is the Taoist sage different from our other favorite paragons of virtue (hint: magical powers)?<br> Featuring special guest panelist Erik Douglas, another U. Texas philosophy grad school dropout calling in from England and knowing more about Eastern philosophy than we do.<br> <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0231105959/ref=as_li_tf_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;creativeASIN=0231105959&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;tag=theparexalif-20" target="_blank">Buy the book</a> or <a href="http://terebess.hu/english/chuangtzu.html" target="_blank">read it online</a>.<br> The end song requires explanation: I had a "New Age" period where I investigated Eastern philosophy, tried to be cheerful all the time, and was generally insufferable. This song, "Pass Time Incorporeal," is an artifact of that time, with lyrics from early fall 1989; the recording is from 1993. It finally slipped out on a 1996 album of similar goofiness rejected from my "real" albums called "<a href="http://partiallyexaminedlife.com/2012/06/19/partially-naked-self-examination-music-blog-black-jelly-beans-smokes-now-available-for-free-download/" target="_blank">Black Jelly Beans &amp; Smokes</a>."<br> If you enjoy the episode, please donate at least $1:<br> <br>