Unveiling the Ecological and Naturalistic Views in Zhuangzi’s Daoism: Exploring the Concept of “The Usefulness of Uselessness”

DOI

10.2991/978-2-38476-170-8_38How to use a DOI?

Keywords

Zhuangzi; ecological philosophy; The Usefulness of Uselessness; view of nature; sustainable development

Abstract

This study delves into Zhuangzi’s philosophy to uncover the ecological and naturalistic views it presents. The focus is on understanding the concept of “The Usefulness of Uselessness” and its implications for environmental conservation and sustainable development. Through literature analysis and conceptual interpretation, the original texts of Zhuangzi are examined to explore his discussions on nature, ecology, and “The Usefulness of Uselessness.” Their relevance to the ecological environment is revealed by comparing and analyzing these concepts. The findings suggest that Zhuangzi’s philosophy aligns with contemporary ecological perspectives, emphasizing the inherent functions of all things in nature, even those that may appear useless. These seemingly useless elements play a vital role in maintaining ecological balance and ecosystem health. Zhuangzi advocates for humility, harmony with nature, and the responsible use of natural resources, promoting sustainable development of the ecological environment. The insights provided by Zhuangzi’s philosophy can inspire modern environmental conservation and sustainable development practices. By appreciating the value of seemingly useless organisms and phenomena in the natural world and recognizing their significance to the ecosystem, people can adopt Zhuangzi’s approach of “acting without action.” This mindset fosters a humble and rational co-existence with nature, promoting harmonious and sustainable ecological development.

Copyright

© 2023 The Author(s)

Open Access

Open Access This chapter is licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/), which permits any noncommercial use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license and indicate if changes were made.

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TY  - CONF
AU  - Tian Liang
PY  - 2023
DA  - 2023/12/31
TI  - Unveiling the Ecological and Naturalistic Views in Zhuangzi’s Daoism: Exploring the Concept of “The Usefulness of Uselessness”
BT  - Proceedings of the  2023 5th International Conference on Literature, Art and Human Development (ICLAHD 2023)
PB  - Atlantis Press
SP  - 346
EP  - 352
SN  - 2352-5398
UR  - https://doi.org/10.2991/978-2-38476-170-8_38
DO  - 10.2991/978-2-38476-170-8_38
ID  - Liang2023
ER  -