A provactive passage from
Benjamin Hoff's,
The Te of Piglet:
Out of the "Hundred Schools" of Chinese philosophy,
only two -- Confucianism and Taoism -- have survived.
The have lasted through thousands of years because
they have proven most Useful. The Chines are very
practical people -- they have no respect for things
that sound good but don't work. In the East generally,
and in China especially, philosophy has always been
considered of no value unless it can be, and is, applied
in one's daily life.
Western philosophy, having little connection with
everyday living, is (to this observer, at least)
comparatively egocentric and impractical, with
much Arguing and Theorizing, and much bounding back
and forth across the intellectual landscape -- a
pleasant, part-time diversion formulated by and aimed
at the likes of Owl, Rabbit, and sometimes Eeyore, but
not supportive of the likes of Piglet and Pooh.
Western philosophy has become the domain of pipe-
smoking, tweed-suited college professors (who may
profess it but not necessarily practice it) and hyper-
cerebral students who, for all their intelligence,
often seem to have a hard time washing their clothes
or repairing the lawn mower.Comments please