『노자』의 생태노동론적, 종교생태학적 독해 — 1990년대 이준모와 장일순의 해석을 중심으로 —

Abstract

Tschun-mo Rhie and Il-soon Jang interpreted Laozi under the religious- ecological perspectives in 1990s, when the ecological discourse was emerging in Korea. The purpose of this article is to display the characteristics and implications found in the interpretation of Laozi by these two scholars. Tschun-mo Rhie considered the ecological-labor theory from Laozi has its implications in the criticism on commercialized industry as well as clarifying the theory of collaborative labor between the humans and nature. First, he clearly points out that the Laozi’s criticism is only aiming to the knowledge about commercialized industry itself. Second, he revealed that while Western industrialized society is based on the logic of ‘positive identity between identity and non-identity’, Laozi embodies the logic of ‘embrace both identity and non-identity’. Thirdly, he highlighted that Laozi’s philosophy of non-action (wu-wei), encompasses the ecological cooperation between humans and nature. In the meantime, Il-Soon Jang interpreted Laozi from religious-ecological approach as integrating Christianity, Buddhism, and Dong-Hak. Firstly, based on the central perspective of the Dao in Laozi’s philosophy, he criticized the mentality and technology of industrial society, urging readers to take practical actions to transform industrial technology into ecological technique. Second, he found out that the Daoism-oriented perspective of Laozi have common characteristics with other two different religion: viewing the world with the God-oriented Christianity and Buddha’s eyes of Buddhism. Third, he has repeatedly emphasized the point that, if Laozi, Jesus, Buddha and Choi Si-Hyeong were to engage in a dialogue, they would reach to the common conclusion that all people need to weaken their ego, recognize their oneness with the universe, and live a life that adheres to the principles of wu-wei. Tschun-mo Rhie and Il Soon Jang have brought the book that contained the clue on ecologic spirit and technique on Laozi.