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The Asian Ethical Perspective
The Asian Ethical Perspective
BY GROUP 5
GATUS, ANN
MCSHANE, MARIA
OLING, BURBERRY CHARM
ROMANO, ROBERT NIELSEN
SAEL, PAULA NICOLAI
VINAS, CARLO JHON
BSCE 2-4
NOVEMBER 4, 2019
TAOIST ETHICS
Taoist ethics are concerned less with doing good acts than becoming a good person
who lives in harmony with all things and people. Taoist ethics are inseparable from Taoist
spirituality - both contain the same ideas. If a Taoist wants to live well they should take all their
decisions in the context of the Tao, trying to see what will fit best with the natural order of things.
Taoists thus always do what is required by events and their context, but they only do what is
required, no more. But what is required may be a lot less than modern Westerners think:
From the perspective of classical Taoism, Western humanism makes the mistake of
assuming that the ability to intervene in life's events translates into a moral duty to do so. The
constant and unmistakable teaching of the Tao Te Ching is that humans are indeed capable of
intervening in life's events, but the evidence of life, which humans constantly ignore, is that such
intervention is destructive to all involved, and that we therefore have a moral duty to refrain from
taking such actions. So, in theory at least, Taoists tend not to initiate action - but wait for events
to make action necessary - and avoid letting their own desires and compulsions push them into
doing things.
Through an understanding of natural laws, an individual can be one with the Tao by
living in accordance with nature and all its transformations and changes, and hence can gain
eternal life. It is considered correct not to interfere with the spontaneity or alter it by any means,
expressed by wu wei. If a person exerts his will against or upon the world he would disrupt the
harmony that already exists, he would go ‘against the flow of life’.
Practice
In practice Taoism recommends the same sorts of moral behaviour to its followers as
other religions. It disapproves of killing, stealing, lying and promiscuity, and promotes altruistic,
helpful and kindly behaviour. Taoists believe such good behaviour is an essential part not only
of self-improvement but of improving the world as a whole.
Cultivate the Tao within oneself; and one's virtue will be perfected.
Cultivate it within the household, and one's virtue will be abundant.
Cultivate it within the neighbourhood, and one's virtue will be enduring.
Cultivate it within the nation, and one's virtue will be overflowing.
Cultivate it within the entire world, and one's virtue will be universal.
Tao Te Ching 54
The Taoist ideal is for a person to take action by changing themselves, and thus
becoming an example of the good life to others. They should develop themselves so that they
live their life in complete harmony with the universe. So the philosophy is not do good things;
but become a good person. Changing oneself in that way will make the world a better place,
because as a person behaves well towards other people and the world, the community will
respond by becoming better itself. In the Tao Te Ching, the Taoist life is one in which one
achieves self-fulfilment as one is selflessly benefiting the lives of others. Taoist ethics are
concerned less with doing good acts than becoming a good person who lives in harmony with
all things and people.
Women
Taoism is a gender-neutral religion. This is implied by the concept of Yin Yang which
teaches that masculine and feminine are complementary, inseparable and equal. The Tao Te
Ching uses female images such as the mother of the universe and the mother of all things when
describing the Tao. Taoism has always accepted that women have an equal part to play in
spiritual life. Women took priestly roles from the earliest days of organised Taoist religion and
Taoist legend has many tales of female deities. Taoism emphasises characteristics that are
usually thought of as feminine such as softness and yielding, modesty and non-aggression. It
teaches that the weak will overcome the strong.
Politics
Taoist texts suggest that the ideal way for a leader to run their country is by example and
with minimal intervention:
So a good leader is one that the people respect and whose instructions are willingly
followed. The good leader achieves this by living virtuously in private, and living publicly so as to
influence his people for the good.
Human nature
Taoism requires human beings to be humble and recognise that not only are they not
obliged to make the world a better place, they are actually so ignorant of what is really
happening that they are likely to make things worse if they do take action.
FILIPINO ETHICS