Dao De Jing: Lao Zi and the Way of the Dao

Two Guys Searching For Truth On The Road That Never Ends...

It is difficult to find happiness within oneself, but it is impossible to find it anywhere else – Arthur Schopenhauer

In this episode we discuss Lao Zi, an ancient Chinese philosopher, and the Dao De Jing, a combined literary work of 5,000 characters comprising 81 chapters or poems. We also note the meaning within the naming of “Dao De Jing,” as well as possible origins of the book. Our discussion looks at five chapters within the Dao De Jing and demonstrates their applicability today and their instructiveness for tomorrow. Topics covered include environmentalism, virtue, universal values, the search for the Dao, and the interesting similarities Daoist thought has with Socratic and Platonic thought. As you will notice, the Dao De Jing is a book of complex simplicity and a work that forces introspection, reflection, and pursuit of the Dao. We hope you enjoy this discussion and that it inspires you to look at this influential and accessible text. Our next episodes will also begin to take a deeper look at Eastern Philosophy before moving into Renaissance thinking and more modern Philosophical ideas and works.

Always feel free to let us know what you think, or if you have any episode requests. We would love to hear from you in the comments! Thank you for listening and as always we’ll see you next time as we search for truth on the road that never ends!