The Yang and Yin conception of the ancient Chinese has exercised a dominating influence upon all Chinese thinkers, with the sole exception of Lao-tze.
Lao-tze's Tao-Te-Ching, his book on the Tao, that is the Path or Method, the Word or Reason, the Logos, that was in the beginning
and on Te, virtue, stands alone in the whole literature of China, propounding an ethics that repudiates all self-assertion, closely resembling the injunctions of both Buddha and Christ.
We are told that Confucius visited Lao-Tze, who, being by half a century his senior, must then have been about eighty years old.
To evaluate this story historically, Lao Tze is said to have lived at the same time as Confucius (551 - 479 BCE.), but recent scholars place him about two centuries later.
Anyway, while Confucius propounded the maxims of justice, the old philosopher urged the principle of good-will toward every one, saying:
" Recompense injury with kindness."
Confucius, unable to fathom Lao-tze's meaning, replied:
"With what then will you recompense kindness? Recompense injury with justice and punishment, and recompense kindness with kindness."
Lao-tze propounds the gist of his ethics in §49 of the Tao- Te- Ching, where he says :
"The good I would meet with goodness. The not-good I would also meet with goodness ; for thus I actualize goodness.
The faithful I would meet with faith. The not-faithful would I also meet with faith ; for thus I actualize faith."
Lao-tze objected to the very basis of Confucian morality. Confucius expected to make people good by teaching them propriety;
if they were but respectful to parents and superiors, if they brought sacrifices to the shrines of their ancestors, and observed the appropriate rules and ceremonies, mankind would become moral.
Lao-tse exhibited an undisguised contempt for externalities and ancestor-worship. He demanded purity of heart, emptiness of desire, and a surrender of all self-display, in imitation of the great Tao (Path), which serves all without seeking its own.
As you'll understand we are facing here two important chapters of Chinese philosophy: Lao Tse and Confucius.
But it is not the right time for that now, because I have offered myself a nice summer break. However, I can not leave you without guidance during such along period.
So, I have made something for you, a present based on Chinese philosophy. You can use it every day to fathom Chinese wisdom and see what awaits you.
I also made another model for those who have another taste.
Let me explain what it is and how to use it. In both displays you see the 6 lines of the hexagram. You formulate your question, for instance, "What will be the future of The Philosophy Class?"
Then you click the lines of the hexagram beginning with the bottom one and then up one by one. Like this.
Let's check what this hexagram means.
Some final technical remarks. The hexagram and the background are NOT linked. I have done this on purpose. It allows you to delete that background and only keep the hexagram.
When you click the background you''ll receive a notecard with instructions and some links to good Yi Ching sites.
Then you click the lines of the hexagram beginning with the bottom one and then up one by one. Like this.
.
herman Bergson clicks the hexagram symbol and gets the following hexagram
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Main Sources:
MacMillan The Encyclopedia of Philosophy, 2nd edition
Routledge Encyclopedia of Philosophy, 1995
An Introduction to Chinese Philosophy - Karyn L. Lai, Oxford 2008
Chinese Philosophy, P. Carus, 1902
A Brief History of chinese Philosophy. D.T. Suzuki, 1914
[13:18] herman Bergson: wow....that is amazing....
[13:19] Merlin: The receptive?
[13:19] herman Bergson: the Second hexagram :-)
[13:19] Debbie DJ: earthly complaine :::
[13:19] herman Bergson: Yes..
[13:20] herman Bergson: it is K'un
[13:20] Debbie DJ: lol... spooky effects
[13:21] herman Bergson: It is random not a prefab
[[13:21] herman Bergson: well
[13:21] Debbie DJ: Docile earthly compliant ox?
[13:21] Qwark Allen: what it meant?
[13:21] Qwark Allen: didn`t got it
[13:22] .: Beertje :.: it's a;; Chinese to me :(
[13:22] .: Beertje :.: all
[13:22] Debbie DJ: What a cool present Herman...
[13:22] herman Bergson: An interesting hexagram for the future of The Philosophy Class
[13:22] Bejiita Imako: seems interesting
[13:23] herman Bergson: When you click the background you''ll receive a notecard with instructions and some links to good Yi Ching sites..
[13:23] Bejiita Imako: ok
[13:24] herman Bergson: You just sit still now for a moment so I can send you both displays...
[13:24] Qwark Allen: and the hexagram? you send it?
[13:24] Qwark Allen: or we come here to do it?
[13:24] Merlin: There is a place in SL with an I Ching which you can consult and it gives the meaning too
[13:25] Pumpernickel Barthelmess: did you know that the i ching is on the ROK flag?
[13:25] Pumpernickel Barthelmess: check it out
[13:25] Merlin: TY Herman
[13:25] .: Beertje :.: thank you Herman
[13:25] Abinoam: thank you, it's a lovely gift!
[13:25] Qwark Allen: nice ty
[13:25] Qwark Allen: :-)
[13:25] herman Bergson: They are Copy / Transfer so you can give them to anyone you like..
[13:26] Qwark Allen: ::::::::: * E * X * C * E * L * L * E * N * T * ::::::::::
[13:26] Qwark Allen: thats
[13:26] Pumpernickel Barthelmess: nice
[13:26] Lizzy Pleides: fantastic!
[13:26] herman Bergson: like Qwark can give them to Gemma who had to leave :-)
[13:26] Debbie DJ: Well conceived, and what a nice idea. Thanks Herman
[13:26] Debbie DJ: *•.¸♥MwAHh♥¸.•*
[13:26] Nasty Calamity: thanks herman :) I salute you with my toilet plunger
[13:26] Qwark Allen: oki
[13:26] Pumpernickel Barthelmess: lol
[13:26] Qwark Allen: i will
[13:26] Abinoam: lol
[13:26] herman Bergson: Thank you Nasty !
[13:26] herman Bergson: Well....
[13:26] Bejiita Imako: gotta try this out later
[13:26] herman Bergson: my friends...
[13:26] Bejiita Imako: ㋡
[13:26] Qwark Allen: indeed
[13:26] herman Bergson: this was again an educational and delightful year with you all...
[13:27] herman Bergson: Thank you all for your interest and participation....
[13:27] Merlin: I think that place I mentioned is here.... Irvine (212,160,22)
[13:27] Qwark Allen: i bet this will be the first talk when class come back
[13:27] herman Bergson: and just know that the blog is visited ten thousands of times by all kind of people all over the world...
[13:28] Lizzy Pleides: Thanks to you, Professor for being here and teaching us
[13:28] Abinoam: Indeed.
[13:28] Bejiita Imako: YAY! (yay!)
[13:28] Debbie DJ: :*★*:. .:*☆*:. .:* APPLAUSE!!! *:. .:*☆*:. .:*★*:.
[13:28] Debbie DJ: ***APPPPPPPLLLLAAAUUUSSSSEEEEEEE***
[13:28] Debbie DJ: ¸. ★*´¨) F*ckn Awesome!
[13:28] Debbie DJ: ¸. ★´ ¸. ★*´¨) ¸. ★*´) ¸. ★*¨) ¸. ★*¨)
[13:28] Debbie DJ: (¸. ★´ *(¸. ★´ *(¸. ★´ *(¸. ★´ *(¸.. ★
[13:28] Debbie DJ: Applause!☆ «´·.¸¸.•.¸¸ YAY¸¸.•.¸¸.·`» Applause!
[13:28] herman Bergson: So again...thank you all and class dismissed
[13:28] Qwark Allen: been really awesome, thank you hermann
[13:28] Nasty Calamity: claps wings together
[13:28] Pumpernickel Barthelmess: thanks
[13:28] herman Bergson: See you all again in September..
[13:28] Bejiita Imako: been nice for sure
[13:28] Bejiita Imako: many interesting subjects
[[13:28] Bejiita Imako: ㋡
[13:28] herman Bergson: ohh..I forgot...
[13:29] Debbie DJ: I would say its been enlightening, fun, and comfortable since the new chairs came ;) 10/10 for hard work Herman
[13:29] herman Bergson: you might have some questions left about the lecture of today :-)
[13:29] Qwark Allen: ehehe yes, they look great
[13:29] herman Bergson: Thank you Debbie :-)
[13:29] Qwark Allen: gd work
[13:29] Bejiita Imako: ㋡
[13:29] Merlin: yes we didn't have the usual discussion today
[13:29] herman Bergson: Well..vacation for you all then:-)
[13:29] Debbie DJ: When does class resume?
[13:29] Qwark Allen: Hooooooo!!!!!!! \O/ \O/ \O/
[13:29] Qwark Allen: | | |
[13:29] Qwark Allen: / \ / \ / \
[13:30] Abinoam: :D
[13:30] Qwark Allen: °͜° l ☺ ☻ ☺ l °͜°
[13:30] Qwark Allen: lol
[13:30] .: Beertje :.: lol Qwark
[13:30] Bejiita Imako: hehehe
[13:30] herman Bergson: First week of September Debbie....
[13:30] Bejiita Imako: oki
[13:30] Merlin: Well I dont live by the school calendar anyway
[13:30] Debbie DJ: wow -
[13:30] Qwark Allen: i bet with you all, will be a fast time
[13:31] herman Bergson: I do Merlin..did it all my life :-)
[13:31] Qwark Allen: summer allways go fast
[13:31] Qwark Allen: AAHH!!!
[13:31] Abinoam: Wishing you all a great summer.
[13:31] Bejiita Imako: hehe yes
[13:31] Bejiita Imako: will have a great vacation myself
[13:31] .: Beertje :.: thank you Herman
[13:31] herman Bergson: Yes great summer to you all:-)
[13:31] Bejiita Imako: same to u ㋡
[13:31] Qwark Allen: hope to see you all next week at sl10b
[13:31] Pumpernickel Barthelmess: thanks for the lecture Herman
[13:31] Qwark Allen: going now there to finish some stuff
[13:31] Debbie DJ: I expect to see lots of tanned fit people in 3 months ;)
[13:31] Qwark Allen: have fun till then
[13:31] herman Bergson: My pleasure Pumperrnickle
[13:32] Bejiita Imako: cu Q
[13:32] Abinoam: ㋡
[13:32] Bejiita Imako: ㋡
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