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Author Topic:   Ecotaoism: An Alternative View of Our Existence
scoff
Member
Posts: 37
Joined: 01-20-2006


Message 1 of 3 (360964)
11-02-2006 8:27 PM


I came across this site, Ecotaoism, and I've only read the first page, but it got me thinking.
The author of the site presents Ecotaoism as an alternative to evolution and religion (or maybe a blending, a unified view so to speak) and argues reality cannot be understood through reductionist perspectives. Ecotaoism, it is argued, view things holistically and seeks to understand them in whole rather than through the parts therein. We have co-evolved with our environment, with the most "successful" species achieving "ecofitness," or, as the author defines it, "a degree of compatibility between long-associated organisms." It makes sense to me. What do you people think?
Anyway, I thought I'd toss this out for your consumption. Some red meat (or a nice tossed salad) to chew on.

Replies to this message:
 Message 2 by Archer Opteryx, posted 11-03-2006 3:27 AM scoff has not replied

  
Archer Opteryx
Member (Idle past 3597 days)
Posts: 1811
From: East Asia
Joined: 08-16-2006


Message 2 of 3 (361041)
11-03-2006 3:27 AM
Reply to: Message 1 by scoff
11-02-2006 8:27 PM


thumbnail sketch
The site promotes a book by Laurence Evans called Nature's Holism. The book was published in 2000 through iUniverse, a subsidy publisher.
I have not read the book and offer no impressions of my own other than to note that 'ecotaoism' did not originate in Taoism.
Evans describes 'ecotaoism' as a holistic philosophy based on the evolution of ecosystems.
quote:
Ecotaoism is a term used for an ancient way of life and ideas expressed within the context of modern science. It is an environmental principle based on ecology and evolution. An investigation of existing principles, has shown that the ancient Chinese Taoist forces of yin and yang are similar to the idea that I present. From this context, the term ecotaoism was coined.
By examining how two associated species evolve (co-evolution), one arrives at a holistic view of nature where interdependence between long-associated species within an ecosystem is dominant. Ecotaoism can be called the science that studies the evolution of interdependence within ecosystems.
An idea that does not conflict with religious or cultural beliefs, is easy to understand, and threatens no ideology, but rather improves the chances of peace, ecological stability and environmental health, should spread and evolve at an incredible rate.
(excerpt at Amazon)
A more detailed discussion appears in this synopsis.
http://www.ecotao.com/holism/synopsis.htm
Nature's holism is the mechanism in nature that causes coevolution between different interacting species. It requires a study of evolution and ecology. Human evolution is discussed to put humanity into this ecological context. This book provides a scientifically based argument for an ecological process often described as coevolution and mutualism.
____
Edited by Archer Opterix, : HTML.

Archer
All species are transitional.

This message is a reply to:
 Message 1 by scoff, posted 11-02-2006 8:27 PM scoff has not replied

Replies to this message:
 Message 3 by ecotao, posted 04-01-2007 4:23 PM Archer Opteryx has not replied

  
ecotao
Junior Member (Idle past 6205 days)
Posts: 2
From: earth
Joined: 04-01-2007


Message 3 of 3 (392637)
04-01-2007 4:23 PM
Reply to: Message 2 by Archer Opteryx
11-03-2006 3:27 AM


Re: thumbnail sketch
Archer says, "'ecotaoism' did not originate in Taoism." Does not the Tao Te Ching start with "Ch. 1. 1. The Tao that can be trodden is not the enduring and unchanging Tao. The name that can be named is not the enduring and unchanging name." or another translation, "Even the finest teaching is not the Tao itself. Even the finest name is insufficient to define it." What this means in one way is that in nature and time you can find the Tao; It is not in books that Tao is to be found. As Taoism is natural, there is more chance of "seeing" it in nature. That is the philosophical component of ecotaoism. In the fossil record, there is a time when flowers did not exist, let alone bees! Yet today there is a very interwoven interdependence between bees and flowers that coevolved. How it coevolved - the mechanism - is what ecotaoism is about. That is why the book is called Nature's Holism.

This message is a reply to:
 Message 2 by Archer Opteryx, posted 11-03-2006 3:27 AM Archer Opteryx has not replied

  
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