생태주의 윤리규범으로서 도가사상의 가능성

Abstract

This article attempts to show the philosophical characteristics of Taoism which stand in juxtaposition with the discourse of ecologism. First, this paper explores Taoist Theory of Unification of Heaven-Man is to be juxtapositioned with fun-damental ecologism.  Fundamental ecologism purports to argue that nature is “an organism” which comes into being through the cyclical system involving matter and energy or from the established relationships in such cyclical system. Destruction of parts of such an organism eventually bring down the entire organism. Therefore, every aspect of such an organism must be respected equally. The organic world view derived from fundamental ecologism evinces similarties with that of Unificatio Theory of Heaven-Man of Chinese Philosophy. Taoism's Unification of Heaven-Man purports to preserve differences in person and nature with an eye toward natural amalgamation (fusion) of all the differences. Put differently, Taoism's Unification of Heaven and Man is to argue for each being to have its own right to exist and its way of existence to be preserved. Fundamental ecologism and Such a Taoist world view can be called “transcendental human centrism”. However, this paper presents critical appraisal of some related questions pertaining to whether human centrism, anti-human centrism or eco-centrism are dualistic and thus rather bipolar world views. Further, this paper explore “wuwei” and “discourse on three treasures” as a concrete code of conduct to be presented by Taoism and as a variant of ecological discourse.