Laozi · Philosophy
Laozi’s paradox of action: <em>wu wei</em>, usually translated ‘non-action,’ does not mean passivity or laziness but action without forcing - moving with the grain of things rather than against it, so that the sage accomplishes everything precisely by not straining, meddling, or imposing.
You learned that wu wei (‘non-action’) is not doing nothing but acting without force - going with the grain of a situation instead of against it - and that Laozi says the Dao ‘does nothing, yet nothing is left undone.’ Explain what wu wei is, what it is not , and why Laozi thought forcing is se…
Leads to Zhuangzi.
Begin this lesson →epoché — a humanities education that remembers you.