Taoist Thought and Earth Ethics

Abstract

近年來環境倫理學成為一門顯學，但是這門學科仍然欠缺一適切的哲學架構。而一適切的哲學架構必須是宇宙論式而非以人類為中心。在提出一道家式哲學架構上本文試圖填補此一真空。 本文首先分析晚期海德格如何發展出一對道家之「四域」概念的解釋學應用，從而進一步釐清道家義「大地」的本質。其次、順著對海德格之倫理思想的定性, 我們指出道家於何種方式上安立環境倫理學。這展示了道家並非只屬一純然過去的思想，而其「讓萵物回到其自身之分位」這一原則在當代仍可有相干性。而一般而言、這不但証明透過與海德格之對話來重建道家哲學之可行性，同時為溝通東西哲學提供一個具體的新個例。

Recently, earth ethics or environmental ethics has become a popular filed of research. But there is lack of a cosmological and non-anthropocentric philosophical framework for earth ethics. In this essay we try to fill this gap by developing a Taoist framework. Starting with the later Heidegger`s transformation of the four-fold, we will first of all clarify the essence of earth. After pinpointing the eco-ethical character of such an approach, we will show how a Taoist framework can be achieved by reactivating its fundamental principle that letting things return to their proper places. This should also deepen the exploration of the ethical implications of Heidegger`s way of thinking.