Zhuangzi and the Philosophy of Spontaneity
Course outline and syllabus for "Zhuangzi and the Philosophy of Spontaneity", for upper-level undergraduate or early graduate seminar in philosophy, religious studies, or East Asian studies.
Course Title: Zhuangzi and the Philosophy of Spontaneity
Course Description:
This course explores the Zhuangzi, one of the foundational texts of Daoist philosophy, with a focus on the concept of spontaneity (ziran) and its implications for ethics, epistemology, metaphysics, and aesthetics. Students will engage in close readings of selected chapters of the Zhuangzi, explore classical commentaries and modern interpretations, and critically analyze the significance of non-doing (wuwei), naturalness, and the playful transformation of self and world. The course situates Zhuangzi within classical Chinese thought and explores its relevance in comparative philosophy.
Learning Objectives:
By the end of this course, students will be able to:
- Interpret key passages from the Zhuangzi in translation.
- Explain the concept of spontaneity and its philosophical significance in Daoism.
- Compare Zhuangzian spontaneity to related ideas in other traditions (e.g., Zen, Stoicism, existentialism).
- Critically assess secondary literature and commentaries.
- Apply Zhuangzian philosophy to contemporary philosophical and ethical questions.
Course Format:
- Lecture/Seminar (2 sessions per week, 90 minutes each)
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Assessment:
- Participation and Reading Quizzes: 10%
- Response Papers (3 x 10%): 30%
- Seminar Presentation: 20%
- Final Research Paper (10â15 pages): 40%
Required Texts:
- Zhuangzi: Basic Writings, trans. Burton Watson (Columbia University Press)
- Zhuangzi: The Essential Writings with Selections from Traditional Commentaries, trans. Brook Ziporyn (Hackett Publishing)
- Selected secondary sources (PDFs provided or on reserve)
Weekly Topics and Readings:
Week 1: Introduction to Daoism and the Textual Zhuangzi
- Topics: Overview of Daoism, Zhuang Zhou as historical and legendary figure
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Readings:
- Zhuangzi (Watson): Introduction, Inner Chapters 1â2
- Ivanhoe, âZhuangzi on Skepticism, Skill, and Virtuosityâ
Week 2: The Butterfly Dream and the Problem of Knowledge
- Topics: Epistemology, dream skepticism, perspectivism
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Readings:
- Zhuangzi Chapter 2 âDiscussion on Making All Things Equalâ
- Ziporyn: Translatorâs Introduction
- Graham, âThe Relativity of Things in Zhuangziâ
Week 3: Spontaneity and Non-Doing (Wuwei)
- Topics: Ziran (čŞçś), Wuwei (çĄçş), non-intervention
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Readings:
- Zhuangzi Chapters 3â4
- Slingerland, âEffortless Action in the Zhuangziâ
Week 4: Uselessness and Detachment
- Topics: Use of the useless, non-conformity
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Readings:
- Zhuangzi Chapter 4 âIn the World of Menâ
- Hansen, âZhuangziâs Useless Daoâ
Week 5: Language, Names, and Paradox
- Topics: Limits of language, paradoxical reasoning
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Readings:
- Zhuangzi Chapter 2 (revisited)
- Chad Hansen, âLanguage and Logic in the Zhuangziâ
Week 6: Play, Humor, and Irony
- Topics: Literary style, indirect teaching
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Readings:
- Selected humorous stories (Cook Ding, Robber Zhi, etc.)
- Ziporyn, âIrony and Religious Thought in the Zhuangziâ
Week 7: The Skill Analogy and Flow States
- Topics: Cook Ding, artisans, flow psychology
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Readings:
- Zhuangzi Chapter 3
- Csikszentmihalyi, Flow (excerpt)
Week 8: Zhuangziâs Ethics: Virtue Without Rules?
- Topics: Moral psychology, spontaneity vs moral codes
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Readings:
- Yearley, âZhuangziâs Ethicsâ
- Zhuangzi Chapter 7
Week 9: Death and Transformation
- Topics: Zhuangzi on death, transformation of things
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Readings:
- Zhuangzi Chapter 6 âThe Great Ancestral Teacherâ
- Ziporyn commentary on transformation
Week 10: Comparative Perspectives I: Zen Buddhism
- Topics: Spontaneity in Chan/Zen; influence of Zhuangzi
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Readings:
- Selections from the Platform Sutra
- Abe, âZhuangzi and Zenâ
Week 11: Comparative Perspectives II: Existentialism & Tao
- Topics: Authenticity, absurdity, being-toward-death
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Readings:
- Excerpts from Nietzsche, Heidegger, and Camus
- Cheng, âZhuangzi and the Problem of Freedomâ
Week 12: Contemporary Applications
- Topics: Creativity, leadership, environmental ethics
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Readings:
- Miller, âZhuangzi and Ecological Ethicsâ
- Puett, âZhuangzi and Leadership in Uncertain Timesâ
Week 13: Student Presentations
Week 14: Final Synthesis and Review
- No new readings; workshopping final papers