Podcasts about Zhuangzi

A Note from James:Carlo Rovelli is one of the smartest people I know. He is a theoretical physicist and the author of a lot of great books, including Seven Brief Lessons on Physics, The Order of Time, Helgoland, White Holes, and now On the Equality of All Things: Lessons on Physics and Philosophy.He has been on the show before, and at the end of this conversation I told him I felt like he was just tolerating my questions. He was nice about it.But the first question I asked was: Do I actually exist?Because in Carlo's new book, nothing really exists on its own. Not a person, not a particle, not you, not me. Everything exists in relation to something else.So I spent an hour trying to understand what that means.Does absolute truth exist? Is free will fake? Are we just machines? Is consciousness quantum? Is everything doomed to decay? Is time real? Was there a before the Big Bang? And what does any of this actually do for us in ordinary life?Carlo's answer, again and again, is not that nothing is real. It is that we make a mistake when we try to imagine the world from the outside, as if we were standing somewhere beyond the universe looking in. We are not outside the universe. We are inside it. We are part of it. We know the world through relationships, perspectives, interactions, and limits.And oddly, that is calming.Because Carlo says the thing that brought him serenity was not finally knowing everything. It was giving up the need to know everything with absolute certainty.That is where this conversation goes: physics, quantum mechanics, philosophy, Buddhism, Taoism, Wittgenstein, consciousness, black holes, time, the Big Bang, free will, and the strange comfort of not needing the final answer.Episode Description:Carlo Rovelli returns to the show for a conversation about reality, uncertainty, quantum mechanics, time, consciousness, free will, and his new book On the Equality of All Things: Lessons on Physics and Philosophy.James begins with the central idea of the book: everything in the universe can only be understood in relation to something else. Carlo agrees that this is a good short version of the argument, but immediately pushes back against the need for “absolute” truth. Of course James exists. Of course Carlo exists. The question is why we need to add something heavier and more final than that.From there, the conversation becomes an exploration of relational reality. Carlo explains that motion is not an illusion just because it depends on perspective. When James says he is sitting still, that is true with respect to Earth. When someone says Earth is moving, that is true with respect to the sun or the galaxy. The mistake is asking which motion is the “real” one outside all relations.The same frame applies to quantum mechanics. Carlo argues that particles are not little objects with fixed properties sitting there independently of the rest of the world. A particle is what it manifests in interaction. It is a set of relations. This is why quantum mechanics has forced such a profound change in the way physicists think about reality.James keeps pressing the practical question: What do we gain from knowing this?Carlo's answer is partly scientific and partly philosophical. We gain better questions. We stop asking impossible questions like “Who is really not moving?” or “What is the final foundation of everything?” We become more aware of our own perspective. And we may become more capable of understanding people whose moral, political, or philosophical perspectives differ from ours.The conversation moves through the Big Bang and the possibility of a Big Bounce, with Carlo stressing that science is powerful precisely because it knows its own ignorance. Science is not the final story. It is an ongoing process of learning, correcting, testing, and replacing older models with better ones.James and Carlo then talk about time. Carlo explains that Earth is so small, compared with the universe, that we experience conversation as almost instantaneous. That gives us the illusion that time is the same for everyone. But physics has shown that time is not universal. Every star and galaxy has its own time, and the idea of “now” across the whole universe does not really work.The second half of the conversation turns toward philosophy and human life. Carlo connects his thinking to Eastern philosophy, Zhuangzi, Buddhism, Taoism, and Wittgenstein. For him, accepting the partial, perspectival, incomplete nature of knowledge is not depressing. It is serene.James also asks about consciousness, free will, and whether quantum mechanics can explain the mind. Carlo respects Roger Penrose but says he does not think consciousness is specifically quantum. The brain is physical. Choices are physical. But that does not make choice unreal. The mistake, Carlo says, is imagining a separate ghost or soul outside the physical brain that is supposed to make the decision.The episode closes with James trying to find one absolute: everything decays. Carlo says no. The universe also creates order. Galaxies form. Stars light up. Life emerges. Water and oil separate into structure. Civilization produces books. Nature is not simple decay. It is more complicated, more beautiful, and still not fully understood.What You'll Learn:Why Carlo Rovelli thinks there is no useful “view from outside” the universe.Why existence does not need to be “absolute” to be real.How motion only makes sense relative to something else.Why relative does not mean arbitrary.How quantum mechanics challenges the idea that the world is made of independent objects.Why Carlo sees particles as manifestations of interactions.Why science is powerful partly because it knows what it does not know.What the Big Bounce idea suggests about the Big Bang.Why time is not the same everywhere in the universe.Why there may be no single universal “now.”Why physics does not explain everything, even if nothing escapes physics.How Eastern philosophy, Taoism, Buddhism, and Wittgenstein shaped Carlo's thinking.Why giving up certainty can create serenity.Why Carlo does not think consciousness is specifically quantum.How Carlo thinks about free will without invoking a separate soul or ghost.Why quantum mechanics should not be turned into vague New Age thinking.Why nature is not only decay, but also structure, order, evolution, and growth.Timestamped Chapters:[05:04] Does Anything Exist Absolutely?James asks whether he, Carlo, or the chair exists, and Carlo explains why ordinary existence is enough without adding the word “absolute.”[06:47] We Exist Through RelationsCarlo explains that identity, friendship, love, social position, and knowledge all happen through relationships.[08:41] Motion Is Relative, Not FakeJames uses the example of sitting still while Earth moves, and Carlo explains why “really moving” is the wrong question.[09:31] Morality Without AbsolutesCarlo argues that morality can be meaningful and powerful without being independent of human beings.[10:44] Relative Does Not Mean ArbitraryCarlo clarifies that relational truth is not the same as saying anything goes.[12:05] Quantum Mechanics and the Relational WorldCarlo explains how quantum mechanics led him toward the idea that things do not have fixed properties independent of interaction.[14:35] What Happens When We Are Not Looking?James asks why quantum mechanics feels strange, and Carlo explains that the confusion begins when we try to describe what happens without interaction.[16:29] Everything Is a ProcessCarlo connects quantum reality to everyday reality: apples rot, stones become sand, and nothing is perfectly fixed forever.[17:21] Before the Big Bang?James asks what the first particle could have interacted with, and Carlo explains why the Big Bang may not have been an absolute beginning.[20:22] The Big BounceCarlo discusses the possibility that the universe went through a phase of maximum compression before expanding.[21:40] Science Knows Its IgnoranceCarlo explains why science is not about having final answers, but about knowing what we know and what we still do not know.[22:58] Science Is Not the Final StoryJames asks about string theory and scientific certainty, and Carlo says science is an ongoing process of learning more.[24:29] Physics Does Not Explain EverythingCarlo explains why fundamental physics underlies everything but does not replace chemistry, biology, mechanics, or other forms of knowledge.[25:13] Time Is Not the Same for EveryoneJames asks about time, distance, and the Big Bang, and Carlo explains why the idea of one universal “now” is an illusion.[27:44] How Do We Know Anything?Carlo defends the power of science, pointing to Maxwell, Einstein, black holes, gravitational waves, and GPS.[30:11] Will Science Ever Be Complete?James asks whether even an advanced alien civilization would still face unknowns, and Carlo says he doubts science will ever reach a final story.[31:20] Gödel, Ignorance, and No Theory of EverythingCarlo treats Gödel's theorem as an analogy for the impossibility of closing knowledge, while stressing how far we still are from complete understanding.[32:49] Zhuangzi, Taoism, and SerenityJames connects Carlo's thinking to Eastern philosophy, and Carlo explains why giving up the need for certainty made his life more serene.[37:00] Consciousness and Quantum MechanicsJames asks about Roger Penrose and consciousness; Carlo says he does not think the brain is specifically quantum in the relevant sense.[38:08] Consciousness as PerspectiveCarlo explains consciousness as part of a relational world: a piece of nature with information about the rest of nature.[41:06] Avoiding New Age Quantum ThinkingJames asks about law-of-attraction-style interpretations, and Carlo distinguishes serious quantum theory from vague extrapolation.[42:53] Objects Are Not as Solid as They SeemCarlo says quantum mechanics challenges the idea that the world is made of fixed, independent objects with properties of their own.[44:22] Arguing With the MetaphysiciansCarlo describes the Princeton philosophy conversations that helped become the basis of the book.[46:29] Copernicus, Darwin, and Quantum RealityCarlo compares quantum mechanics to earlier scientific revolutions that forced humans to rethink their place in the world.[48:18] What Will Future Science Change?James asks what discoveries might blow our minds 100 or 200 years from now, and Carlo points to quantum gravity, black holes, and the mind.[51:10] Free Will Without the GhostJames asks about determinism and choice; Carlo says freedom is not an illusion, but the idea of a separate nonphysical chooser is.[54:11] Does Everything Decay?James tries to find one absolute truth, and Carlo says nature also produces structure, complexity, life, and order.Additional Resources:On the Equality of All Things — Simon & SchusterCarlo Rovelli — Simon & Schuster Author PageCarlo Rovelli — Penguin Random House Author PageScience Friday: “Why physics and philosophy need each other”Helgoland — Penguin Random HouseWhite Holes — Penguin Random HouseSeven Brief Lessons on Physics — Penguin Random HouseThe Order of Time — Penguin Random HouseReality Is Not What It Seems — Penguin Random HouseAnaximander — Penguin Random HouseSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today we're joined by Dr. Brook Ziporyn, a scholar of Classical Chinese from the University of Chicago, and translator of Zhuangzi and the Daodejing. He makes the case that classical Chinese rescues us from the hard problem of consciousness where meaning comes from context and relation instead of isolation. Identity is carved out of an undivided whole, and what's cut away is devalued in the same stroke. This approach also feeds into a critique of the Western epistemological approach to the cosmos where a law that can't be wrong fuels a hidden patchwork program to protect itself.PATREON https://www.patreon.com/c/demystifysciOUR BOOK, PARADOX LOST: https://demystifysci.com/paradoxlostHOMEBREW MUSIC: Vinyl: https://demystifysci-shop.fourthwall.com/products/vinyl-lp-secretary-of-nature-everything-is-so-good-hereStreaming: https://secretaryofnature.bandcamp.com/album/everything-is-so-good-herePARADIGM DRIFThttps://demystifysci.com/paradigm-drift-show00:00 Go! Why Does Studying Something Require Removing It First?00:05:14 What Makes a Text Impossible to Translate the Same Way Twice?00:13:01 How Did an Atheist Text Acquire Gods?00:21:16 What Happens to a Word With No Tense and No Plural?00:30:08 Which Thoughts Are Uphill and Which Are Downhill?00:39:08 Why Do Mayan and Classical Chinese Line Up?00:47:00 When Is Ambiguity the Point Instead of the Failure?00:56:24 What Grows in a Tradition That Never Wrote Down Its Rules?01:03:20 What Do You Invent When the Law Cannot Be Wrong?01:07:05 Where Exactly Does the Inside Stop?01:17:39 Why Does the West Need Things to Be For Something?01:26:24 Can You Make Something Beautiful If You Know How It Ends?01:33:28 Who Designed the Sky?01:42:32 What Is Four Billion Years of Something Not Stopping?01:53:33 Do Equations Explain Anything or Just Describe It?02:02:32 What Did Atomism Have to Invent Nothing For?02:08:57 What Is Understanding Good For If It Is Good For Nothing? #Philosophy #ChinesePhilosophy #PhilosophyOfMind #Linguistics#Metaphysics #Zhuangzi #PhilosophyOfLanguageMERCH: Rock some DemystifySci gear : https://demystifysci-shop.fourthwall.com/AMAZON: Do your shopping through this link: https://amzn.to/3YyoT98DONATE: https://bit.ly/3wkPqaDSUBSTACK: https://substack.com/@UCqV4_7i9h1_V7hY48eZZSLw@demystifysci RSS: https://anchor.fm/s/2be66934/podcast/rssMAILING LIST: https://bit.ly/3v3kz2S SOCIAL: - Discord: https://discord.gg/MJzKT8CQub- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/DemystifySci- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/DemystifySci/- Twitter: https://twitter.com/DemystifySciMUSIC: -Shilo Delay: https://g.co/kgs/oty671

Dr. Alexander Douglas serves as a Senior Lecturer in Philosophy at the University of St. Andrews. His work navigates Eastern and Western thought, focusing on the philosophy of religion, Spinoza, and early Daoism. In his latest book, Against Identity: The Wisdom of Escaping the Self, he draws a line between the Zhuangzi, Spinoza, and René Girard to argue that our obsession with a fixed self is the root of social pathology, and that liberation lies in embracing uncertainty and ambiguity. Find Alex and his work online Against Identity (book): https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/456203/against-identity-by-douglas-alexander/9781802063318 Alex's Substack: https://axdouglas.substack.com/ Discussion Outline 0:00 The Story of Hundum 4:52 The Zhuangzi 11:30 The Self and Identity in Modernity 21:15 Confucius and Zhuangzi 26:00 Explaining the Tao 33:30 Rejecting Identity 37:50 Are We Gods? 41:10 Rene Girard and Mimetic Desire 49:15 A Brave New World 59:35 Living without Identity A huge thanks to Patreon members: Bhavya, Roxanne Murrell, Sara B Cooper, Anne Brennels, Ell, Johnathan Filbert, Daniela Körppen, Cody Schuman, Christopher Futter, Andreas Wendtland. You are stars!! Join Our Patreon Community Here: https://www.patreon.com/c/user?u=62047873 David A. Tizzard has a PhD in Korean Studies and lectures at Seoul Women's University and Hanyang University. He writes a weekly column in the Korea Times, is a social-cultural commentator, and a musician who has lived in Korea for nearly two decades. He can be reached at datizzard@swu.ac.kr. ▶ David's Insta: @datizzard ▶ KD Insta: @koreadeconstructed These podcasts are recorded live in Seoul. Big thanks to the studio owner and my friend 한정철: https://www.instagram.com/the_story_from_you/ 

Success can reward a bad trade for years before the costs become obvious. The decisions usually look reasonable at the time. One more demanding year. One more important opportunity. One more stretch of travel. Marriage can wait. The children will understand. Friends will still be there. And professionally, it may keep paying off. But that's what makes the mistake so hard to catch. In this episode, we look at James Carse, Zhuangzi, Philip Ivanhoe, and Alan Watts to understand what happens when the logic of goals, scoreboards, and future results spreads into the rest of life. You'll see why caring more about a result can sometimes make you worse at getting it, why success can't tell you whether every sacrifice was worth making, and how to pursue ambitious goals without treating the present merely as the price of some future life. The point isn't to want less. The point is to stop needing success to prove more than it can. Listen to What Success Can't Tell You About Life. Show Highlights Include: 4 domains of life which cannot be tracked, measured, or optimized (and why any attempt at doing so will only sever the connective tissue) (1:04)  Why the most successful professionals struggle heavily with relationships, family life, and the overall enjoyment of life (1:43)  Who uses a 10-year span of life better: A founder who exited for $10 million or one who exited for $100 million? (5:06)  The insidious "Second Task" trap that makes you buckle under internal pressure (when you fall into this trap, your actual skill level declines because of your internal environment) (8:27)  How to delay gratification without treating the present as disposable (and why this skill is fundamental for living a good and fulfilling life) (15:43)  The "Concert Pianist's Secret" for becoming masterful at your practice without sacrificing the present moment for some vague, future-oriented goal (20:18)  4 difficult-to-answer questions that will show you how closely achievement is tied to your identity (21:46)   Why continued success is often more dangerous to your life's fulfillment than humiliating failure (24:40)  For more about David Tian, go here: https://www.davidtianphd.com/about/  Feeling like success in one area of life has come at the expense of another? Maybe you've crushed it in your career, but your relationships feel strained. Or you've built the life you thought you wanted, yet there's still something important missing. I've put together a free 3-minute assessment to help you see what's really holding you back. Answer a few simple questions, and you'll get instant access to a personalized masterclass that speaks directly to where you are right now. It's fast. It's practical. And it could change the way you approach leadership, love, and fulfillment. Take the first step here → https://dtphd.com/quiz

 Zhuangzi Was Right All AlongInspired by: Zhuangzi Was Right All AlongThe Trap of UsefulnessOur society proclaims:If it is not useful, it is a waste of time.If it doesn't make money, it is not worth doing.If it doesn't lead somewhere, it should not be started.Slowly, without noticing, we begin to measure everything in this way.What is the point?What is the return?What do I get out of this?Something strange is happening.We have never been more efficient—and we have never felt more empty.People don't daydream anymore. They waste their time on social media with their smartphones to distract themselves—instead of using the saved time for pleasure.They optimize, they don't explore. They calculate, and then they waste their time on their smartphones.Hobbies Become Side HustlesEven hobbies are no longer free. They are turned into "side hustles."Even rest feels guilty if it is not productive. And so people procrastinate because they don't have enough pleasure or playtime anymore.They lose their curiosity, their wonder, and the courage to do something for no reason at all.The Usefulness of the UselessZhuangzi said:"The usefulness of the useless is the greatest usefulness."Sounds contradictory.But "useless" doesn't mean meaningless. It means:Not driven by immediate rewardNot forced into productivityNot reduced to a functionIt is the act of doing something simply because you are drawn to it—out of curiosity, out of love, or out of a quiet sense that this matters.Like love. Like playing. Look at children playing.Even if you can't explain why.Where Greatness BeginsThis is where art begins.This is where science begins.This is where exploration begins.Not with profit, but with wonder.Our whole science started with exploration without having profit in sight. Because we wanted to know. The drive was not to make money—and so science was far more effective.The Corruption of Modern ScienceToday, our science is corrupt because the aim is publications—and suppressing opposing evidence.After five years, 90% of scientific "facts" are proven wrong or outdated.For instance, the myth of drinking two liters of water every day—even though it has been proven that it harms the heart and kidneys. You should only drink when you are thirsty, like every animal. That makes sense, but science doesn't like that.The Paradox of Our TimeToday we have more tools, more comfort, and more access to knowledge than any generation before us—and yet we hesitate to begin.We scroll endlessly, consuming fragments of other people's lives.We have ideas, but we rarely act on them because we don't want to risk. We want to consume. We want instant gratification.And then we convince ourselves that it might not be useful, worth it, or lead us to something meaningful.Losing Our Childlike WonderWe lose our naivety, our willingness to explore, to try, to imagine like children.Without the useless, there is:No artNo wonderNo loveNo breakthroughNo leading into the unknownOur lives become repetition, optimization, and distraction—and that leads to frustration.Never has the frustration level of the young generation been higher than today.The Final TruthIf you only pursue what is useful, you will never reach what truly matters.What truly matters starts as something unnecessary, something inefficient, something unjustified—something useless.What drives humanity forward comes from:CuriosityPassionA quiet refusal of the status quoThe useless things—like love, awareness, and religious values—are the highest forms of living.And the smartphone? It leads to addiction and distraction.My Video: The Most Important Things in Life Are “Useless” https://youtu.be/A0BVJVs7q8wMy Audio: https://divinesuccess.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/Podcast5/The-Most-Important-Things-in-Life-Are-Useless.mp3 

The Aesthetics of Risk in Franco-East Asian Literatures (Cambridge UP, 2026) is the first book that examines the concept of risk in non-anglophone world literature. Focusing on how risk is produced and reshaped by literary aesthetics, Li argues that risk is a creative rather than negative force in world literature. Instead of disaster narratives, Li approaches risk from the fresh perspective of ludic aesthetics, or playful, gamelike, illusionistic and experimental literary strategies. Comparatively analysing an original selection of texts by modern and contemporary French-Francophone and East Asian writers, each chapter focuses on a particular genre such as the novel, life-writing, poetry, and image-texts. The reimagination of risk in literature is revealed to be closely related to different forms of play such as structured games, masquerade, poetic and intermedial experimentation. Franco-East Asian literatures help us rethink risk in linguistically diverse and cross-cultural contexts, providing a new paradigm for comparative criticism and world literature. Guest Xiaofan Amy Li is Associate Professor in Comparative Cultural Studies at University College London and holds a PhD in French from Queens' College, Cambridge. Her research spans comparisons and exchanges from the 20th-21st centuries between France, China, and East Asia broadly speaking. Her first monograph Comparative Encounters between Artaud, Michaux and the Zhuangzi (Legenda, 2015) re-reads two avant-garde French writers and the imaginative classical Chinese text Zhuangzi through their intertextual, poetic, and conceptual dialogues. Besides her two monographs, she has published extensively on Surrealism, poetry, and literary translation. She is a member of the AILC/ICLA (International Comparative Literature Association) Research Committee on Literary Theory. Host Gina Stamm is Associate Professor of French at The University of Alabama, with research concentrated on the environmental humanities and speculative literatures of the 20th and 21st centuries, from Surrealism to contemporary science fiction and feminist utopias, in Metropolitan France and the francophone Caribbean, with a book manuscript underreview on posthumanist ecological engagement in the surrealist movement. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

The Aesthetics of Risk in Franco-East Asian Literatures (Cambridge UP, 2026) is the first book that examines the concept of risk in non-anglophone world literature. Focusing on how risk is produced and reshaped by literary aesthetics, Li argues that risk is a creative rather than negative force in world literature. Instead of disaster narratives, Li approaches risk from the fresh perspective of ludic aesthetics, or playful, gamelike, illusionistic and experimental literary strategies. Comparatively analysing an original selection of texts by modern and contemporary French-Francophone and East Asian writers, each chapter focuses on a particular genre such as the novel, life-writing, poetry, and image-texts. The reimagination of risk in literature is revealed to be closely related to different forms of play such as structured games, masquerade, poetic and intermedial experimentation. Franco-East Asian literatures help us rethink risk in linguistically diverse and cross-cultural contexts, providing a new paradigm for comparative criticism and world literature. Guest Xiaofan Amy Li is Associate Professor in Comparative Cultural Studies at University College London and holds a PhD in French from Queens' College, Cambridge. Her research spans comparisons and exchanges from the 20th-21st centuries between France, China, and East Asia broadly speaking. Her first monograph Comparative Encounters between Artaud, Michaux and the Zhuangzi (Legenda, 2015) re-reads two avant-garde French writers and the imaginative classical Chinese text Zhuangzi through their intertextual, poetic, and conceptual dialogues. Besides her two monographs, she has published extensively on Surrealism, poetry, and literary translation. She is a member of the AILC/ICLA (International Comparative Literature Association) Research Committee on Literary Theory. Host Gina Stamm is Associate Professor of French at The University of Alabama, with research concentrated on the environmental humanities and speculative literatures of the 20th and 21st centuries, from Surrealism to contemporary science fiction and feminist utopias, in Metropolitan France and the francophone Caribbean, with a book manuscript underreview on posthumanist ecological engagement in the surrealist movement. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/east-asian-studies

The Aesthetics of Risk in Franco-East Asian Literatures (Cambridge UP, 2026) is the first book that examines the concept of risk in non-anglophone world literature. Focusing on how risk is produced and reshaped by literary aesthetics, Li argues that risk is a creative rather than negative force in world literature. Instead of disaster narratives, Li approaches risk from the fresh perspective of ludic aesthetics, or playful, gamelike, illusionistic and experimental literary strategies. Comparatively analysing an original selection of texts by modern and contemporary French-Francophone and East Asian writers, each chapter focuses on a particular genre such as the novel, life-writing, poetry, and image-texts. The reimagination of risk in literature is revealed to be closely related to different forms of play such as structured games, masquerade, poetic and intermedial experimentation. Franco-East Asian literatures help us rethink risk in linguistically diverse and cross-cultural contexts, providing a new paradigm for comparative criticism and world literature. Guest Xiaofan Amy Li is Associate Professor in Comparative Cultural Studies at University College London and holds a PhD in French from Queens' College, Cambridge. Her research spans comparisons and exchanges from the 20th-21st centuries between France, China, and East Asia broadly speaking. Her first monograph Comparative Encounters between Artaud, Michaux and the Zhuangzi (Legenda, 2015) re-reads two avant-garde French writers and the imaginative classical Chinese text Zhuangzi through their intertextual, poetic, and conceptual dialogues. Besides her two monographs, she has published extensively on Surrealism, poetry, and literary translation. She is a member of the AILC/ICLA (International Comparative Literature Association) Research Committee on Literary Theory. Host Gina Stamm is Associate Professor of French at The University of Alabama, with research concentrated on the environmental humanities and speculative literatures of the 20th and 21st centuries, from Surrealism to contemporary science fiction and feminist utopias, in Metropolitan France and the francophone Caribbean, with a book manuscript underreview on posthumanist ecological engagement in the surrealist movement. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/literary-studies

The Aesthetics of Risk in Franco-East Asian Literatures (Cambridge UP, 2026) is the first book that examines the concept of risk in non-anglophone world literature. Focusing on how risk is produced and reshaped by literary aesthetics, Li argues that risk is a creative rather than negative force in world literature. Instead of disaster narratives, Li approaches risk from the fresh perspective of ludic aesthetics, or playful, gamelike, illusionistic and experimental literary strategies. Comparatively analysing an original selection of texts by modern and contemporary French-Francophone and East Asian writers, each chapter focuses on a particular genre such as the novel, life-writing, poetry, and image-texts. The reimagination of risk in literature is revealed to be closely related to different forms of play such as structured games, masquerade, poetic and intermedial experimentation. Franco-East Asian literatures help us rethink risk in linguistically diverse and cross-cultural contexts, providing a new paradigm for comparative criticism and world literature. Guest Xiaofan Amy Li is Associate Professor in Comparative Cultural Studies at University College London and holds a PhD in French from Queens' College, Cambridge. Her research spans comparisons and exchanges from the 20th-21st centuries between France, China, and East Asia broadly speaking. Her first monograph Comparative Encounters between Artaud, Michaux and the Zhuangzi (Legenda, 2015) re-reads two avant-garde French writers and the imaginative classical Chinese text Zhuangzi through their intertextual, poetic, and conceptual dialogues. Besides her two monographs, she has published extensively on Surrealism, poetry, and literary translation. She is a member of the AILC/ICLA (International Comparative Literature Association) Research Committee on Literary Theory. Host Gina Stamm is Associate Professor of French at The University of Alabama, with research concentrated on the environmental humanities and speculative literatures of the 20th and 21st centuries, from Surrealism to contemporary science fiction and feminist utopias, in Metropolitan France and the francophone Caribbean, with a book manuscript underreview on posthumanist ecological engagement in the surrealist movement. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/french-studies

The Aesthetics of Risk in Franco-East Asian Literatures (Cambridge UP, 2026) is the first book that examines the concept of risk in non-anglophone world literature. Focusing on how risk is produced and reshaped by literary aesthetics, Li argues that risk is a creative rather than negative force in world literature. Instead of disaster narratives, Li approaches risk from the fresh perspective of ludic aesthetics, or playful, gamelike, illusionistic and experimental literary strategies. Comparatively analysing an original selection of texts by modern and contemporary French-Francophone and East Asian writers, each chapter focuses on a particular genre such as the novel, life-writing, poetry, and image-texts. The reimagination of risk in literature is revealed to be closely related to different forms of play such as structured games, masquerade, poetic and intermedial experimentation. Franco-East Asian literatures help us rethink risk in linguistically diverse and cross-cultural contexts, providing a new paradigm for comparative criticism and world literature. Guest Xiaofan Amy Li is Associate Professor in Comparative Cultural Studies at University College London and holds a PhD in French from Queens' College, Cambridge. Her research spans comparisons and exchanges from the 20th-21st centuries between France, China, and East Asia broadly speaking. Her first monograph Comparative Encounters between Artaud, Michaux and the Zhuangzi (Legenda, 2015) re-reads two avant-garde French writers and the imaginative classical Chinese text Zhuangzi through their intertextual, poetic, and conceptual dialogues. Besides her two monographs, she has published extensively on Surrealism, poetry, and literary translation. She is a member of the AILC/ICLA (International Comparative Literature Association) Research Committee on Literary Theory. Host Gina Stamm is Associate Professor of French at The University of Alabama, with research concentrated on the environmental humanities and speculative literatures of the 20th and 21st centuries, from Surrealism to contemporary science fiction and feminist utopias, in Metropolitan France and the francophone Caribbean, with a book manuscript underreview on posthumanist ecological engagement in the surrealist movement.

Selected teachings from Chuang Tzu excerpted from 'The Complete Works of Chuang Tzu' - translated by Burton Watson. Chuang Tzu (Zhuangzi) c. 369–286 BCE was one of ancient China's greatest Daoist sages. Living during the turbulent Warring States period, he rejected worldly ambition and chose a life of simplicity, freedom and contemplation. His teachings are filled with brilliant paradoxes, humour and stories that challenge our deepest assumptions about reality, identity and the self.His timeless work, the Zhuangzi, points toward a life of effortless harmony with the Dao—and freedom from the limitations of the thinking mind. His teaching invites us to let go of fixed ideas, surrender our struggle with life, and awaken to the freedom of simply being.Music: Swami Madhuram (Time for Peace) - with thanks to Swami for his beautiful gifting of music for this channel.https://insighttimer.com/swamimadhuram

"Musings of a Chinese Mystic: Selections from the Philosophy of Chuang Tzu" explores the profound teachings of Chuang Tzu, a disciple of Lao Tzu, who sought to counter the growing artificiality and materialism of his time. As he witnessed the rise of Confucian ethics overshadowing the pure Taoism of his master, Chuang Tzu passionately revived the call to return to nature and simplicity. His reflections resonate with timeless themes of authenticity and the critique of societal norms, making this work relevant today as we navigate the complexities of modern civilization. The depth of Chuang Tzu's insights into human nature and the Tao continues to inspire those seeking wisdom and a deeper understanding of life.

In een tijd van constante prikkels, prestatiedruk en 'het westerse verdwalen', biedt de klassieke Chinese filosofie een verrassend actuele uitweg. Wat gebeurt er als we ons krampachtige doeldenken loslaten en de kunst van het 'onbelemmerd zwerven' omarmen?In deze aflevering van De Nieuwe Wereld gaat Wouter Post in gesprek met filosoof, publicist en China-kenner Michel Dijkstra. Centraal staat misschien wel het grootste meesterwerk uit de geschiedenis van China: de innerlijke geschriften van de Zhuangzi.Aan de hand van dit eeuwenoude taoïstische werk bespreken ze het grote contrast tussen onze westerse, statische maatschappij (de ''ratrace'' van de Randstad) en de oosterse filosofie van vloeibaarheid en openheid. Wat kunnen we leren van concepten als Wu Wei (handelen door niet-handelen) en de kracht van het zachte?Bronnen en links bij deze uitzending:

In this podcast we will be talking about 7 Ways To Flow Happily With Your Life from the philosophy of Zhuangzi. Zhuangzi was an ancient Chinese philosopher, often remembered as the playful and imaginative voice of Taoism.So here are 7 Ways To Flow Happily With Your Life from the philosophy of Zhuangzi - 01. Stop Measuring Your Life Against Others02. Live According to Your Nature03. Flow Effortlessly With Reality04. Live Fully, But Stay Detached05. Simplify your Desires06. Be Useless07. Don't Take Yourself So SeriouslyWe hope you enjoyed listening to this podcast and hope this podcast, from the philosophy of Zhuangzi, helps you to flow happily with your life.Zhuangzi was an ancient Chinese philosopher, often remembered as the playful and imaginative voice of Taoism. Where Lao Tzu spoke in short, poetic verses, Zhuangzi chose stories. His tales could be light, humorous, even absurd at times - but hidden inside them was a deep wisdom about how to live. In his book, also called Zhuangzi, he shows us that much of our suffering comes from holding on too tightly. To rigid ideas of right and wrong, to our need for control, to the seriousness with which we approach everything. His message is clear — true freedom comes from letting go. Letting go of labels, of narrow thinking, of the constant urge to prove ourselves. He invites us to live more lightly, to drift through life like a leaf on a stream. And when we do, we find a quieter, deeper kind of joy. But in today's world, we're pushed to move faster, to compete harder, to constantly chase the next goal. In that race, it's easy to forget the simple lightness of being alive. Zhuangzi reminds us that life doesn't always have to be a struggle. It can be playful. It can be free.

Ken Liu graces ChinaTalk with his presence. He is the author of the Dandelion Dynasty silkpunk fantasy series and a brilliant short fiction writer — one of his stories was recently adapted into Sam Altman's favorite show, Pantheon. We all know his translation work on the first and third volumes of the Three-Body Problem trilogy, but even better was his absolutely brilliant translation and commentary of the Dao De Jing. As much as I hoped that project would get him fully on the classical Chinese translation train, he followed it up with a very different direction — a techno-AI thriller, All That We See or Seem, released late last year. Irene Zhang of ChinaTalk joins us to co-host. In a wide-ranging conversation, Ken Liu argues that: Technology is the most human thing we do — humans have always externalized our minds into the world and then allowed those creations to reshape who we are. AI “slop” won't stop humans from making art that matters, and the real distinction isn't quality versus slop, but between desire-fulfilling machines and artists who draw from the collective unconscious. The deeper danger of AI isn't machines replacing humans, but systems that train humans to behave like machines. Science fiction isn't prophecy, but mythology — and ideologies are just mythology's cheaper, hack cousins. Orwell, Shelley, Tolkien, and Le Guin endure not because they predicted the future, but because they gave us metaphors powerful enough to think with across generations. Large language models are intelligent, but can't be wise. Drawing on Laozi and Zhuangzi, Ken explains why everything that truly matters lies beyond language. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ken Liu graces ChinaTalk with his presence. He is the author of the Dandelion Dynasty silkpunk fantasy series and a brilliant short fiction writer — one of his stories was recently adapted into Sam Altman's favorite show, Pantheon. We all know his translation work on the first and third volumes of the Three-Body Problem trilogy, but even better was his absolutely brilliant translation and commentary of the Dao De Jing. As much as I hoped that project would get him fully on the classical Chinese translation train, he followed it up with a very different direction — a techno-AI thriller, All That We See or Seem, released late last year. Irene Zhang of ChinaTalk joins us to co-host. In a wide-ranging conversation, Ken Liu argues that: Technology is the most human thing we do — humans have always externalized our minds into the world and then allowed those creations to reshape who we are. AI “slop” won't stop humans from making art that matters, and the real distinction isn't quality versus slop, but between desire-fulfilling machines and artists who draw from the collective unconscious. The deeper danger of AI isn't machines replacing humans, but systems that train humans to behave like machines. Science fiction isn't prophecy, but mythology — and ideologies are just mythology's cheaper, hack cousins. Orwell, Shelley, Tolkien, and Le Guin endure not because they predicted the future, but because they gave us metaphors powerful enough to think with across generations. Large language models are intelligent, but can't be wise. Drawing on Laozi and Zhuangzi, Ken explains why everything that truly matters lies beyond language. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hello everyone,Today's episode is called 'The Butterfly Dream' '  A gentle and enchanting fairytale by ZhuangziThis calming bedtime story is designed to help you relax, unwind, and drift into a peaceful sleep.If you enjoy cosy storytelling, soothing narration, or sleep stories to fall asleep to, this one is for you.If you enjoy listening, please do leave an Apple review or rate us on Spotify — it really helps the podcast grow and allows more people to find our sleep stories.You can now listen on our YouTube channel as well:Sleepy Stories ☁️ - YouTubeSweet Dreams,Lucy ❤The Butterfly Dream” is traditionally attributed to Zhuangzi (also spelled Chuang Tzu), an influential Chinese philosopher who lived around the 4th century BCE. It appears in the classic text Zhuangzi, where he describes dreaming he was a butterfly, then waking and wondering whether he was Zhuangzi who had dreamed of being a butterfly—or a butterfly now dreaming of being Zhuangzi. It's one of the most famous reflections on reality, identity, and perception in philosophy.#SleepStories #BedtimeStories #GuidedMeditation #Relaxation #Calm #Mindfulness #MeditationPodcast #SleepPodcast #Folktales #FairyTales #Storytelling #SoothingVoices #SleepAid #RelaxingStories #Tranquility #DriftOffToSleep

Daniel A. Bell joins the podcast to discuss his new book, Why Ancient Chinese Political Thought Matters: Four Dialogues on China's Past, Present, and Future (Princeton UP, 2026). This isn't your standard, dusty history — it's a series of modernized dialogues that grew out of Bell's own classroom at the University of Hong Kong. In this episode, Daniel tells us about the time he spent as an academic Dean at Shandong University, and where he saw firsthand how ancient Legalist ideas about strict punishment were making everyday life, and even faculty meals, feel rigid and 'joyless'. We talk about why he chose to write the book as a 'heavyweight match' between the descendants of thinkers like Confucius and Zhuangzi, and why he believes the ancient concept of 'harmony' is actually about celebrating differences rather than enforcing sameness. Whether we're talking about the 'fire exit' of modern divorce laws or the high stakes of corruption in Beijing, Daniel shows why these ancient voices are still the most relevant ones in the room. The book is an entertaining introduction to ancient Chinese thinkers, and what they can teach us about today's most pressing political questions in China and beyond. China's most original, diverse, and fascinating political debates took place more than two millennia ago, but they have profoundly shaped Chinese political thinking and practice ever since and, remarkably, their influence on the country's leaders is only growing today. Yet these timeless debates which are very likely to influence the answers to such questions as whether China should use military force to take control of Taiwan seem far too little understood in the West. In this enlightening and entertaining book, Professor Bell takes the greatest thinkers from China's past — Confucius, Mencius, Xunzi, Shang Yang, Han Feizi, Zhuangzi, and Mozi—and puts them in dialogue with each other in modern settings. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

Daniel A. Bell joins the podcast to discuss his new book, Why Ancient Chinese Political Thought Matters: Four Dialogues on China's Past, Present, and Future (Princeton UP, 2026). This isn't your standard, dusty history — it's a series of modernized dialogues that grew out of Bell's own classroom at the University of Hong Kong. In this episode, Daniel tells us about the time he spent as an academic Dean at Shandong University, and where he saw firsthand how ancient Legalist ideas about strict punishment were making everyday life, and even faculty meals, feel rigid and 'joyless'. We talk about why he chose to write the book as a 'heavyweight match' between the descendants of thinkers like Confucius and Zhuangzi, and why he believes the ancient concept of 'harmony' is actually about celebrating differences rather than enforcing sameness. Whether we're talking about the 'fire exit' of modern divorce laws or the high stakes of corruption in Beijing, Daniel shows why these ancient voices are still the most relevant ones in the room. The book is an entertaining introduction to ancient Chinese thinkers, and what they can teach us about today's most pressing political questions in China and beyond. China's most original, diverse, and fascinating political debates took place more than two millennia ago, but they have profoundly shaped Chinese political thinking and practice ever since and, remarkably, their influence on the country's leaders is only growing today. Yet these timeless debates which are very likely to influence the answers to such questions as whether China should use military force to take control of Taiwan seem far too little understood in the West. In this enlightening and entertaining book, Professor Bell takes the greatest thinkers from China's past — Confucius, Mencius, Xunzi, Shang Yang, Han Feizi, Zhuangzi, and Mozi—and puts them in dialogue with each other in modern settings. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/east-asian-studies

Daniel A. Bell joins the podcast to discuss his new book, Why Ancient Chinese Political Thought Matters: Four Dialogues on China's Past, Present, and Future (Princeton UP, 2026). This isn't your standard, dusty history — it's a series of modernized dialogues that grew out of Bell's own classroom at the University of Hong Kong. In this episode, Daniel tells us about the time he spent as an academic Dean at Shandong University, and where he saw firsthand how ancient Legalist ideas about strict punishment were making everyday life, and even faculty meals, feel rigid and 'joyless'. We talk about why he chose to write the book as a 'heavyweight match' between the descendants of thinkers like Confucius and Zhuangzi, and why he believes the ancient concept of 'harmony' is actually about celebrating differences rather than enforcing sameness. Whether we're talking about the 'fire exit' of modern divorce laws or the high stakes of corruption in Beijing, Daniel shows why these ancient voices are still the most relevant ones in the room. The book is an entertaining introduction to ancient Chinese thinkers, and what they can teach us about today's most pressing political questions in China and beyond. China's most original, diverse, and fascinating political debates took place more than two millennia ago, but they have profoundly shaped Chinese political thinking and practice ever since and, remarkably, their influence on the country's leaders is only growing today. Yet these timeless debates which are very likely to influence the answers to such questions as whether China should use military force to take control of Taiwan seem far too little understood in the West. In this enlightening and entertaining book, Professor Bell takes the greatest thinkers from China's past — Confucius, Mencius, Xunzi, Shang Yang, Han Feizi, Zhuangzi, and Mozi—and puts them in dialogue with each other in modern settings. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/political-science

Daniel A. Bell joins the podcast to discuss his new book, Why Ancient Chinese Political Thought Matters: Four Dialogues on China's Past, Present, and Future (Princeton UP, 2026). This isn't your standard, dusty history — it's a series of modernized dialogues that grew out of Bell's own classroom at the University of Hong Kong. In this episode, Daniel tells us about the time he spent as an academic Dean at Shandong University, and where he saw firsthand how ancient Legalist ideas about strict punishment were making everyday life, and even faculty meals, feel rigid and 'joyless'. We talk about why he chose to write the book as a 'heavyweight match' between the descendants of thinkers like Confucius and Zhuangzi, and why he believes the ancient concept of 'harmony' is actually about celebrating differences rather than enforcing sameness. Whether we're talking about the 'fire exit' of modern divorce laws or the high stakes of corruption in Beijing, Daniel shows why these ancient voices are still the most relevant ones in the room. The book is an entertaining introduction to ancient Chinese thinkers, and what they can teach us about today's most pressing political questions in China and beyond. China's most original, diverse, and fascinating political debates took place more than two millennia ago, but they have profoundly shaped Chinese political thinking and practice ever since and, remarkably, their influence on the country's leaders is only growing today. Yet these timeless debates which are very likely to influence the answers to such questions as whether China should use military force to take control of Taiwan seem far too little understood in the West. In this enlightening and entertaining book, Professor Bell takes the greatest thinkers from China's past — Confucius, Mencius, Xunzi, Shang Yang, Han Feizi, Zhuangzi, and Mozi—and puts them in dialogue with each other in modern settings. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/intellectual-history

Daniel A. Bell joins the podcast to discuss his new book, Why Ancient Chinese Political Thought Matters: Four Dialogues on China's Past, Present, and Future (Princeton UP, 2026). This isn't your standard, dusty history — it's a series of modernized dialogues that grew out of Bell's own classroom at the University of Hong Kong. In this episode, Daniel tells us about the time he spent as an academic Dean at Shandong University, and where he saw firsthand how ancient Legalist ideas about strict punishment were making everyday life, and even faculty meals, feel rigid and 'joyless'. We talk about why he chose to write the book as a 'heavyweight match' between the descendants of thinkers like Confucius and Zhuangzi, and why he believes the ancient concept of 'harmony' is actually about celebrating differences rather than enforcing sameness. Whether we're talking about the 'fire exit' of modern divorce laws or the high stakes of corruption in Beijing, Daniel shows why these ancient voices are still the most relevant ones in the room. The book is an entertaining introduction to ancient Chinese thinkers, and what they can teach us about today's most pressing political questions in China and beyond. China's most original, diverse, and fascinating political debates took place more than two millennia ago, but they have profoundly shaped Chinese political thinking and practice ever since and, remarkably, their influence on the country's leaders is only growing today. Yet these timeless debates which are very likely to influence the answers to such questions as whether China should use military force to take control of Taiwan seem far too little understood in the West. In this enlightening and entertaining book, Professor Bell takes the greatest thinkers from China's past — Confucius, Mencius, Xunzi, Shang Yang, Han Feizi, Zhuangzi, and Mozi—and puts them in dialogue with each other in modern settings. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/chinese-studies

Daniel A. Bell joins the podcast to discuss his new book, Why Ancient Chinese Political Thought Matters: Four Dialogues on China's Past, Present, and Future (Princeton UP, 2026). This isn't your standard, dusty history — it's a series of modernized dialogues that grew out of Bell's own classroom at the University of Hong Kong. In this episode, Daniel tells us about the time he spent as an academic Dean at Shandong University, and where he saw firsthand how ancient Legalist ideas about strict punishment were making everyday life, and even faculty meals, feel rigid and 'joyless'. We talk about why he chose to write the book as a 'heavyweight match' between the descendants of thinkers like Confucius and Zhuangzi, and why he believes the ancient concept of 'harmony' is actually about celebrating differences rather than enforcing sameness. Whether we're talking about the 'fire exit' of modern divorce laws or the high stakes of corruption in Beijing, Daniel shows why these ancient voices are still the most relevant ones in the room. The book is an entertaining introduction to ancient Chinese thinkers, and what they can teach us about today's most pressing political questions in China and beyond. China's most original, diverse, and fascinating political debates took place more than two millennia ago, but they have profoundly shaped Chinese political thinking and practice ever since and, remarkably, their influence on the country's leaders is only growing today. Yet these timeless debates which are very likely to influence the answers to such questions as whether China should use military force to take control of Taiwan seem far too little understood in the West. In this enlightening and entertaining book, Professor Bell takes the greatest thinkers from China's past — Confucius, Mencius, Xunzi, Shang Yang, Han Feizi, Zhuangzi, and Mozi—and puts them in dialogue with each other in modern settings.

Daniel A. Bell joins the podcast to discuss his new book, Why Ancient Chinese Political Thought Matters: Four Dialogues on China's Past, Present, and Future (Princeton UP, 2026). This isn't your standard, dusty history — it's a series of modernized dialogues that grew out of Bell's own classroom at the University of Hong Kong. In this episode, Daniel tells us about the time he spent as an academic Dean at Shandong University, and where he saw firsthand how ancient Legalist ideas about strict punishment were making everyday life, and even faculty meals, feel rigid and 'joyless'. We talk about why he chose to write the book as a 'heavyweight match' between the descendants of thinkers like Confucius and Zhuangzi, and why he believes the ancient concept of 'harmony' is actually about celebrating differences rather than enforcing sameness. Whether we're talking about the 'fire exit' of modern divorce laws or the high stakes of corruption in Beijing, Daniel shows why these ancient voices are still the most relevant ones in the room. The book is an entertaining introduction to ancient Chinese thinkers, and what they can teach us about today's most pressing political questions in China and beyond. China's most original, diverse, and fascinating political debates took place more than two millennia ago, but they have profoundly shaped Chinese political thinking and practice ever since and, remarkably, their influence on the country's leaders is only growing today. Yet these timeless debates which are very likely to influence the answers to such questions as whether China should use military force to take control of Taiwan seem far too little understood in the West. In this enlightening and entertaining book, Professor Bell takes the greatest thinkers from China's past — Confucius, Mencius, Xunzi, Shang Yang, Han Feizi, Zhuangzi, and Mozi—and puts them in dialogue with each other in modern settings. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/politics-and-polemics

An interview on humor and amoral ethics in a Daoist classic, the Zhuangzi - and its relation to Confucianism and Legalism. 

Is it better to become highly specialized… or to remain adaptable? Modern society often pushes us toward specialization. We are encouraged to develop a narrow skill, become highly useful, and build our lives around productivity. But Taoist philosophy has long offered a different perspective. In this episode of Living the Tao (1-170), Master Mikel Steenrod explores an ancient debate that mirrors a surprisingly modern question: the tension between specialization and adaptability. Beginning with a simple evolutionary example of specialist and generalist species, the discussion moves into classical Taoist ideas drawn from the Zhuangzi, including the story of Ding the Butcher and the famous warning of the “useless tree.” These teachings challenge the assumption that usefulness alone defines value. Through this exploration, the episode examines how Confucian and Taoist thinkers approached the role of individuals within society—and why Taoist philosophy ultimately emphasizes balance rather than rigid answers. At different times in life, we may need the discipline of specialization. At other times, we need the freedom and adaptability of the generalist. The real skill lies in knowing when to turn the dial. Listen to the trailer for Episode 170 — Part of One or Part of Many. Join the community to unlock full access to this episode and the complete archive.

How is it possible to walk two roads simultaneously? And where does wandering lead us?

Round Table presents the last of six stories from the new podcast, "Sage and Youth: Debating Zhuangzi's Tao." In this episode: a humble butcher survives chaos yet refuses honor. But why? When devotion meets power, what truly counts as merit? Zhuangzi's ancient tale sparks a modern debate: whether integrity lies in rejecting rewards or in acknowledging shared struggle. For more fascinating stories and heated debates, search "Sage and Youth: Debating Zhuangzi's Tao."

Round Table presents the fifth of six stories from the new podcast, "Sage and Youth: Debating Zhuangzi's Tao." In this episode: is true expertise about aligning with hidden rhythms or overpowering difficulty? A famous butcher from Zhuangzi's story inspires Gen Z debaters to rethink whether success comes from harmony with systems or relentless self-strengthening. For more fascinating stories and heated debates, search "Sage and Youth: Debating Zhuangzi's Tao."

Send a textAfter another long break, Fieldnotes and Folklore is back! This episode dives into the mysterious insect, cicadas. Just the reminder the Northern Hemisphere needs that summer will be here before we know it!Cicada Safari: https://cicadasafari.org/Zhuangzi story: https://asia.si.edu/whats-on/blog/posts/the-cicada-in-china/Onondaga Nation story: https://www.onondaganation.org/blog/2018/ogwenyoda-dense-hanadagayas-the-cicada-and-george-washington/The Ant and The Cicada (Grasshopper): https://ny.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/btl10.ela.early.theantsandthegrasshopper/the-ants-and-the-grasshopper/Join the community Discord! Make sure to read all the rules before participating. https://discord.gg/VtABEzUCpGWant to email the show? Send your questions, comments, and ideas to FieldnotesAndFolklore@gmail.comSocial media:- Facebook: https://facebook.com/groups/fieldnotesandfolklore/- Instagram: @FieldnotesAndFolklore- TikTok: @FieldnotesAndFolkloreWant to support the show and get exclusive content? Join the Patreon! Go to https://patreon.com/fieldnotesandfolkloreSupport the show

Round Table presents the third of six stories from the new podcast, "Sage and Youth: Debating Zhuangzi's Tao." In this episode: is true freedom found outside fame and office? Zhuangzi refuses political power, raising a timeless question about success. One side defends spiritual independence. The other argues real influence requires stepping into the system. For more fascinating stories and heated debates, search "Sage and Youth: Debating Zhuangzi's Tao."

A conversation with Prof. Moeller (Carefree Wandering). We discuss the political implications of Daoist philosophy, the Daoist critique of Confucian family roles and anthropocentrism, the comparison to Nietzsche's critique of modernist theories of truth, the differences between the two regarding their respective past and future orientations in philosophy, the difference in "vibe", and the parallel between the two as focused on achieving "great health". Butcher Ding Story: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vGtgGz5SsY0Happy Fish Story: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9nMCrj3soDUProf. Moeller's new book: https://cup.columbia.edu/book/the-enigma-of-gender/9780231221276/

Round Table presents the first of six stories from the new podcast, Sage and Youth: Debating Zhuangzi's Tao. Two thousand years ago, Zhuangzi questioned reality itself. Who was he? A mystic. A rebel. A quiet comedian of philosophy. In this opening episode, Niu Honglin sits down with Professor Hong Li to explore freedom, uncertainty, and the playful wisdom of the ancient sage.

Why does the Zhuangzi tell us that death is nothing to fear, to the point that it recommends celebrating the death of loved ones?

How are we to make sense of the different images of Kongzi (Confucius) in the Zhuangzi?

In this episode we look at two parables from the work known as the Zhuangzi that relate to things martial artists care about.Specifically the ideas of Wuwei (無為) non-action and Ziran (自然 - "Self-so") spontaneity. However, these aren't just high-minded philosophical jibber-jab. These have direct, practical applications to our martial arts.Take the training offline with a small book I put together pairing basic physical exercises with short quotes and meditations. You can find the book here: ⁠https://www.lulu.com/shop/matthew-krueger/pocket-training-volume-1/paperback/product-e7pqmyv.html

In addition to sages who show us the way, the Zhuangzi features people taking on daily activities such as woodworking and butchering: we discuss how these figures serve as counterpoints to officials in the Zhuangzi's time.

Today we're considering Ge Ling Shang's book, Liberation as Affirmation, comparing Zhuangzi and Nietzsche. Shang sees both thinkers as putting forward a "religiosity" of life-affirmation. Major points of comparison: use of language (goblet words/zhiyan & Dionysian dithyramb), whether one can relativize all views or should affirm illusion, how to respond to morality (revaluation v/s devaluation), using a single principle to describe multiplicity (ziran/dao & will to power), and the competing views of the superior person (sage v/s ubermensch) and the methods for reaching such a state.

Exploring the indeterminate nature of truth in the Zhuangzi, the usefulness of uselessness, the foolishness of seeking office, and the advantages of xiaoyaoyou. Mixing translations from Watson, Palmer, Giles & informed by readings/commentary from Ziporyn, Ge Ling Shang & Wing Tsit Chan. For a general introduction to Spring and Autumn period Chinese philosophy, see the previous regular episode, #127.

The many stories about animals in the Zhuangzi encourage us to adopt a perspective that goes beyond the human point of view.

Diese Pudelkern-Folge ist einem der brillantesten Denker der chinesischen Philosophie gewidmet: Zhuangzi. Der daoistische Philosoph des 4. Jahrhunderts v. Chr. war kein Systematiker und kein Morallehrer, sondern ein Poet der Freiheit. In Parabeln, Bildern und mit viel Humor erzählt er vom Traum des Schmetterlings, vom Loslassen starrer Urteile und von der Kunst, mit dem Fluss des Lebens zu gehen, statt gegen ihn anzukämpfen. Albert und Jan sprechen darüber, was Meister Zhuangs Denken heute bedeuten kann: Was heißt Freiheit jenseits von Kontrolle, Selbstoptimierung und festen Identitäten? Wie hilft uns das Prinzip des Wu Wei, dem Nicht-Erzwingen, im Alltag, im Beruf und in Beziehungen? Und warum könnten Gelassenheit, Wandel und ein leises Lächeln über die eigene Wichtigkeit gerade in einer hektischen, effizienzgetriebenen Zeit zu einer überraschend zeitgemäßen Lebenshaltung werden.

An interview on debates over language and reasoning between the Mohists and the Daoist classic, the Zhuangzi.

Introducing "dao" as a concept in Chinese philosophy. We'll explore the the social & historical context of the Spring and Autumn period. We'll follow A.C. Graham's assertion that the basic question of Chinese philosophy is "where is the way?", and consider the answers given by Confucius, Laozi, Mencius & XunziSources: Wing Tsit Chan - A Sourcebook in Chinese PhilosophyA.C. Graham - Disputers of the TaoRobin Wang - Yin Yang: The Way of Heaven and Earth in Chinese Thought and CultureGe Ling Shang - Liberation as Affirmation: The Religiosity of Zhuangzi and NietzscheHolmes Welch - Taoism: The Parting of the Way

Zhuangzi missiles have inadvertently destroyed the Deep's main thrusters, and Monarch is not going to take that lying down. The crew attempts to re-insert themselves into the facility quietly while the mega-powerful are distracted. Gradient Descent is by Luke Gearing, Jarrett Crader, and Sean McCoy, published by Tuesday Knight Games, LLC. Purchase it ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.Mothership Sci-Fi Horror RPG is by Sean McCoy and Jarrett Crader, published by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Tuesday Knight Games⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, LLC. Explore more 3d6 Down the Line at our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠official website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠! Access character sheets, maps, both video and audio only versions of every episode, past campaigns, and lots more! Watch the video version of this episode on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠! Support our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and enjoy awesome benefits! Purchase ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Feats of Exploration⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, an alternate XP system for old-school D&D-adjacent games! Grab some 3d6 DTL ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠merchandise⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠! Join our friendly and lively ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Discord server⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠! Art, animation, and graphics by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠David Kenyon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Intro music by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Hellerud⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.Cloudbank Synthetics Production Facility Alternative Map by user Makenai on the Mothership Discord Server.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Network Charts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ by PimPee. Maps used in the channel banner by Dyson Logos.

The Zhuangzi's critique of dogmatic approaches to argumentation and governing the state.

It's a battle in the corridors of the Zhuangzi as two factions within the Troubleshooters clash. ----more---- Bit of a boring lore dump in this one if you like that sort of thing :) Next week is the release of second part of The Law Of Salvage on YouTube and podcast, so stay tuned for that! The Patreon is usually ahead, check there first for early access episodes! ----more---- SOCIALS X: @nwtbugbear Facebook | YouTube | Instagram @NWTBPODCAST Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/NWTBPODCAST MUSIC Music by Karl Casey @ White Bat Audio https://karlcasey.bandcamp.com Music: Futuristic 3 and Novus Initium by Alexander Nakarada (creatorchords.com) Licensed under Creative Commons BY Attribution 4.0 License https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ All other sounds and effects are sourced from https://freesound.org using the Creative Commons 0 License.

The Class V troopship Zhuangzi doesn't take kindly to the gang's wanton spacing of their employees. A game of cat and mouse ensues as David tries desperately to avoid target lock. Total catastrophe in this 100% void-of-space episode!Curiosity laced with dread gets the better of the crew, as they make an unwelcome discovery inside the shipping crates stacked on the Deep's loading dock. Now the one entity they didn't want to disturb is officially... disturbed.Gradient Descent is by Luke Gearing, Jarrett Crader, and Sean McCoy, published by Tuesday Knight Games, LLC. Purchase it ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.Mothership Sci-Fi Horror RPG is by Sean McCoy and Jarrett Crader, published by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Tuesday Knight Games⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, LLC. Explore more 3d6 Down the Line at our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠official website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠! Access character sheets, maps, both video and audio only versions of every episode, past campaigns, and lots more! Watch the video version of this episode on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠! Support our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and enjoy awesome benefits! Purchase ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Feats of Exploration⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, an alternate XP system for old-school D&D-adjacent games! Grab some 3d6 DTL ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠merchandise⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠! Join our friendly and lively ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Discord server⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠! Art, animation, and graphics by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠David Kenyon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Intro music by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Hellerud⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.Cloudbank Synthetics Production Facility Alternative Map by user Makenai on the Mothership Discord Server.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Network Charts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ by PimPee. Maps used in the channel banner by Dyson Logos.

We introduce the second great classic of Warring States Daoism, the Zhuangzi, and ask whether it adopts a position of radical skepticism.

We're back and we're bold! In this Episode we tackle the first half of the second chapter of the  Zhaunzgzi! Get ready for some heady, complicated, funny, philosophy! 

In Against Identity, philosopher Alexander Douglas seeks an alternative wisdom. Searching the work of three thinkers – ancient Chinese philosopher Zhuangzi, Dutch Enlightenment thinker Benedict de Spinoza, and 20th Century French theorist René Girard – he explores how identity can be a spiritual violence that leads us away from truth. Through their worlds and radically different cultures, we discover how, at moments of historical rupture, our hunger for being grows: and yet, it is exactly these times when we should make peace with our indeterminacy and discover the freedom of escaping our selves. Alexander Douglas was born in Canberra, Australia where he studied music and philosophy. He now teaches the history of philosophy and the philosophy of economics at the University of St Andrews. He has published two books on the philosophy of Benedict de Spinoza and one on the philosophy of debt. He has grown increasingly interested in combining ideas from Western and East Asian philosophy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network