World Religions Study: Taoism

Weeks 2-6, Hinduism

Weeks 7-11, Buddhism

Weeks 12-16, Confucianism


Weeks 17-21, Taoism:


Smith, pages 197-216, 4 pages per week.

Novak, pages 145-174, 6 pages per week.

Eliade, chapter 3, 9 pages per week.

Read as desired from resources on Taoism.

Read as desired from general resources.

Continue response journal, making note of your reading.

Links:

Beliefnet.com
BUBL Link
Chinese Philosophy -Taoism
WWW -Virtual Library
Taoism at religioustolerance.org
Taoism
Taoism at about.com
Introduction to Taoism
Taoism Information Page
Taoism: Basic Fundamentals
Taost Texts
Art of War Page

At the end of the 5-week Taoism study either

1. turn in a project that demonstrates your understanding of Taoism;

or

2. answer the following questions (from here):

1. Whom do the Chinese remember as The Old Master? In what sense is he a "shadowy" figure?

2. What are the Three Meanings of Tao?

3. Explain briefly the Three Approaches to Power and the Three Taoisms that correspond to them. Which one does Smith describe as "transportable"? Why? What are te and chi, and how do they relate to the three Taoisms?

4. How does Smith translate wu wei? How was Taoism's approach to improving human behavior different from that of Confucius? What nature phenomenon most resembled the Tao? How? What else did it resemble? How? What is Taoism's attitude toward nature generally?

5. Name at least five important ways that Taoism differs from Confucianism in attitude toward one thing or another.

6. The first paragraph of the Conclusion of this chapter is a gem.
Read it several times, until you understand its implications and can use it to explain the difference between Confucianism and Taoism.


Weeks 22-26, Islam

Weeks 27-32, Judaism