TAOISM AND BIOLOGICAL SCIENCE |
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Authors: | Raymond J. Barnett |
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Affiliation: | Raymond J. Barnett is professor of biological sciences at California State University, Chico, California 95929. |
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Abstract: | Abstract. The seemingly disparate systems of philosophical Taoism and modern biological science are compared. A surprising degree of similarity is found in their views on death, reversion (cyclicity of phenomena), complementary interactions of dichotomous systems, and the place of humans in the universe. The thesis is advanced that these similarities arise quite naturally, since both systems base their knowledge upon objective observation of natural phenomena. Substantial differences between the two systems are recognized and examined regarding verbal argument, machinery, and experimentation. The Taoists' relationship to Chinese alchemy and the biologists' to technology are claimed to mitigate their attitudes toward experimentation. |
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