• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

CenterTao.org

taoism, taoist thought, buddha, yoga, tai chi, shakuhachi

  • Home
  • Tao Te Ching
  • Ways
  • Facebook Group
  • Blowing Zen

We All Know We Don’t Know

We all know we don't know - sittinI enjoy doing yoga on the beach because I can easily pause to look seaward and skyward to soak in eternity, or glance closer in to bond with my friends, all the sand flies and seagulls around me. Today I got to thinking how small and insignificant we are—they and me. Then I thought, they don’t know they are small and insignificant, but I do. All humans do. This apprehension of our own insignificance drives us to bolster our self-image any way we can. Guided by a symptoms point of view, this led me to an epiphany regarding the collective knowledge and cultural stories we hold dear and share.

Our Cognitive Placebo

Among the great ape species, we are among the most social. For us though, our ‘we don’t know’ cognitive insecurity pulls us even closer together. We use each other to tell, or listen to, our collective knowledge and story… from the most mundane to those of wondrous spiritual transcendence. The Bible’s account of God creating us in his image exemplifies this, as do creation myths from every other culture… even hunter-gatherer cultures.(1)

Human story telling is a kind of placebo that enables us to feel that we actually do know at least something, at least for a few moments. Because stories are merely figments of our imagination, we need to keep retelling them to maintain their illusion of truth. This gives even more meaning to chapter 56’s Knowing doesn’t speak; speaking doesn’t know. In other words, the deeper we feel this ‘we don’t know’ insecurity, the more important stories that offer us a sense of certainty feel. Simply put, we buy into the story that eases our uncertainty the most (2).

Knowing doesn’t speak;

Conversely, speaking doesn’t know. Certainly, speaking must also include thinking and writing. How about, ‘Thinking, speaking, and writing don’t know’. Now, that exposes one reason why I think and write. I am simply refreshing the story continually to keep it real. I am also working it out as I go along, stumbling upon new connections… observations of various parts of the elephant (3), so to speak (google [Blind men and the elephant] parable). You could say that my speaking, writing, and thinking are symptoms of my innate ignorance. On the other hand, “Out of the mouths of babes” exists at that ignorant edge of knowing. I suspect this means that only in the fog of not knowing can a lucid moment of knowing occur. At times, I suppose something useful comes into view, or at least I like to think so.

Frankly, chapter 56’s Knowing doesn’t speak; speaking doesn’t know has challenged and intrigued me ever since I stumbled upon the Tao Te Ching in 1964, ironically at a US Army BX in Vietnam. It’s challenging because it flies in the face of what my ego yearns to hear… “Carl, you’re brilliant”. Fortunately, life gradually whittled away enough of my illusion of self (ego) for me to face my ignorance. Yes, just as chapter 40 says,

In the opposite direction, of the way moves. Loss through death, of the way uses.
All under heaven is born in having, Having is born in nothing.

Raison d’être (4) relentlessly seeks ‘more and more’

We need to keep retelling our most meaningful story to keep it real because we are biologically incapable of remaining emotionally still and continuously appreciating life… including the most profound experiences and realizations. Essentially, a sense of appreciation for anything is a very weak and fleeting experience. We always quickly return to feeling our cup half empty to one degree or another. Appreciation only serves to weaken urges that drive survival, at least in the long-term. Indeed, survival necessity underpins every facet of life at some level.

This biological imperative (5) keeps all living creatures, including humans, on the lookout for ‘more and more’. The fear of not having enough always lurks in the background of awareness. Entropy shadows life’s every move constantly and forms the foundation for primal insecurity. This produces the fear of loss and the unknown that drives all life.

Naturally, this seeking ‘more and more’ imperative of life balances out well in the wild. This is not the case for thinking and civilized animals like ourselves. We cleverly augment the pleasurable and shield ourselves from nature’s wild unknown and less benevolent characteristics. In so doing, life becomes increasingly synthetic and imbalanced. As chapter 18 suggests, When intelligence increases, there exists great falseness.

We partly compensate for our imbalanced relationship with nature by prioritizing life’s issues in degrees of importance, a.k.a. doing our duty. As Buddha advised, “There is salvation for him whose self disappears before truth, whose will is bent on what he ought to do, whose sole desire is the performance of his duty”.

Truth, no matter how profoundly felt, soon fades from view… alas, entropy rules. To maintain focus, we must constantly refresh our memory to recall our priorities — our truth. (See also Refreshing Redundancy, p.535) In reality, thinking, speaking, and writing don’t know, so we think and speak to remember what we know, or search and ponder the unknown in order to know, and ultimately, to know that we don’t know — I call this ‘cognitive hunting and gathering’ for the human animal.

Up from the ocean of emotionWe all know we don't know - birds

In our heart of hearts, we know that we don’t know. Maintaining a hierarchy of knowledge is one cornerstone of civilization that helps us avoid facing that stark reality… “I don’t know, but at least the expert knows”. Isn’t the core view presented in the Tao Te Ching seeking to point this out? Chapter after chapter pokes holes in our reliance on knowledge, thinking, speaking, and still deeper down, their cause — words and names. Knowledge builds itself upon the foundation of names and words. Belief in them is prerequisite to knowledge.

Consider how, from childhood onward, we use words to define words. After a few decades, we end up with our “true” stories as we enter adulthood. Each story along our way through life helps to define word meaning further. Truth is, all this rests on a shifting foundation of emotion. Thought, and any subsequent knowing, arises from our ocean of emotion and the meaning those emotions lend to words. Indeed, a word’s meaning actually lies in the emotion that the word evokes. Deep down this leaves us all cognitively insecure with a bottom-line intuitive sense that we don’t truly know. (See Correlations. p.565, for a deeper look into words.)

You could say we don’t know that we don’t know… and we intuitively know that. I call this a visceral intuitive knowing because it bubbles up from emotional sources. That is not to say it bubbles up and informs thought, per se. More likely, it leaves us with an uneasy empty sense that can drive us to fill up mind space, usually with a believable story that confers context to the strongest emotion we currently feel. This all operates in a cycle, with each feeding back and reinforcing the other: feeling (emotion) kindles thought; thought induces emotion; and so on… It can get crazy.

Intuitive knowing is practical too

Fortunately, intuitive knowing also bubbles up and drives action! I’ve found that when I intuitively know, I have no choice but to act accordingly. It happens naturally and without intention or effort. Frankly, I don’t know if this kind of knowing actually counts as knowing — it goes deeper than that. Certainly, it doesn’t count as knowledge! Actions do speak louder than thinking and speaking, which is where knowledge manifests itself. Still, there are no cut and dry lines here either because knowing, by whatever definition, is itself a gradual and layered process. We gradually grasp various parts of the elephant as the years pass, and knowing deepens until one day — poof! Realizing I don’t’ know is better; not knowing this knowing is disease. Then, as I said at the beginning of this post, I can more “easily pause to look seaward and skyward to soak in eternity or closer in to bond with my friends, the sand flies and seagulls around me”. Open-ended ignorance, unencumbered by belief places universal connection within my mind’s reach! Indeed, perhaps infinite ignorance  =  infinite knowing.

Who are You? (part 6)

I suppose this post is actually the final post in the Who are You? series. It strikes at the heart of the human cognitive problem so it applies to civilized and hunter-gatherer alike. While I’ve drawn out the differences between our ancestors and civilized people in this series, I need to restate an essential point: Differences are relative and therefore illusionary. Profound sameness holds deeper truth, or if not that, at least serves as a fine palliative for ignorance. Noticing similarities brings the mind closer to what Buddha called, “Right State of Peaceful Mind”.

We all know we don't know - bug heaven

seaweed is sand fly heaven!

Alas, our visceral sense that we all know we don’t know makes this “Right State of Peaceful Mind” ephemeral. This is mainly due to our need to know, to be certain, and to nail down reality. If you are observant, you’ll notice how natural it is to judge differences, whether between “this” vs. “that” or between “us” vs. “them”. It is part of our biology. We just do it in various ways and to various extents. Emphasizing “us” or “this” and marginalizing “them” or “that” offers the enticing sense of certainty, both for ourselves and our group-identity. Note: Deepest down, however, “this vs. that” is what makes thinking, speaking, and writing possible as well. Sigh… it always ends up in profound sameness, which makes writing on this subject matter a quixotic affair… yet still I write!

The Old Way vs. Civilization?

Sometimes my “Who are You” series ( I to V ) may seem like I am marginalizing civilization, pitting  “us” vs. “them” … ‘civilization’ vs. ‘the old way’.

Actually, rather than marginalizing civilization, I’m un-marginalizing our hunter-gatherer ancestors. I’m pointing out that, rather than being a boon to humanity, civilization is a root cause of the pressing problems civilized humanity now faces. Still, I’m not suggesting we abandon civilization, even if we could. I’m not even saying were ever going to be able to do anything about the unintended consequences of civilization. However, honestly facing the truth of our journey from the old way to the present may offer a roadmap towards mitigation of some issues.

We are ‘them’. I feel that knowing who we are organically and originally (long-term view) affords perspective on who we think we are now (short-term view). Sticking our head in the sand, touting the advantages of civilization only ensures being stuck in the status quo. The advent of the Agricultural Revolution and civilization are simply the two steps forward, one step backward progression of evolution. Now the advent of the Electricity Revolution has set humanity up to take another few steps forward, and naturally another step backward as well.

Finally, here are a few chapters that point out the shadows of knowing…

When Heaven’s gate opens wide, can your action be female?
When understanding reaches its full extent, can you know nothing?
#10

Of old, the adept student was minutely subtle,
….profoundly connecting, and deep beyond knowledge.
He alone, beyond knowledge, hence stubborn in allowing.
#15

Without going out the door, we can know all under heaven.
Without looking out the window, we can see nature’s way.
#47

The multitude all explain with their knowledge;
The wise person, each and every child
. #49

Our words are very easy to know, very easy to do.
Under heaven none can know, none can do
. #70

Speaking of nothingness…

In the opposite direction, of the way moves.
Loss through death, of the way uses.
All under heaven is born in having.
Having is born in nothing
. #40

Without going out the door, we can know all under heaven.
Without looking out the window, we can see nature’s way.
He goes out farther, he realizes less,
Accordingly, the wise person goes nowhere, yet knows.
Sees nothing, yet understands.
Refrains from acting, yet accomplishes
.  #47

Under heaven, all say my way is great resembling nothing.
Man is only great by reason of resembling nothing
. #67

(1) This cognitive insecurity began perhaps a million years ago when hunter-gather Eve ate the apple. It just became more problematic when we traded our ancestral way of life for the benefits of agriculture and the hierarchical social infrastructure — civilization — that agriculture requires.

(2) Naturally, this also must apply to the storyteller… meaning, anything I say or write. The fact that I offer my thoughts as observations, hypothetical and not truths carved in stone, suggests that insecurity is not driving me much. An instinct to socially connect and help drives me more.

(3) Making connections between conflicting points of view increases self-honesty and reduces hypocrisy! (See What is Not the Elephant?, p.293) Indeed, my ability to see more of the whole elephant makes describing the view less feasible. It becomes simply too broad to pin down in words and so silence becomes the better description.

Perhaps chapter 56 should read, Knowing can’t speak; speaking can’t know, instead of, Knowing doesn’t speak; speaking doesn’t know. So-called Enlightenment can’t help but keep its mouth shut. Naturally too, this means we could never know anyone truly enlightened… there would be no evidence — silence can’t count as evidence. That seems a little ironic to me. It also suggests that enlightenment is a story closely tied to the illusion of self and free will. (See, A How-To for Extinguishing Self, p.88; Is Enlightenment Something or ???, p.24; and So, You Want Enlightenment, Eh?, p.174)

(4) Raison d’être is a French expression commonly used in English, meaning “reason for being” or “reason to be”. It is the thing that is most important to someone—the reason for which a person or organization exists. Why do the words raison d’être feel like they capture the existential question best? It goes to show how words and emotions are so intimately connected. For me, “raison d’être” nails it much better than “reason for being”, although certainly not for any rational reason.

(5) A devil’s advocate would say, “Hold on, the biological imperative is just a science story, and many people don’t buy such stories, e.g., climate warming, evolution”. Okay, I agree in principle. However, the science story relies on the rigorous examination of empirical evidence, which at least helps us avoid rash actions. As chapter 16 reminds us, Not knowing the constant, rash actions lead to ominous results.

Interestingly, Buddha’s truths are similar in that Buddha calls for verification by each person, i.e., don’t believe it until you prove it through your life’s experience. In science, the proof lies externally; for Buddha, the proof lies internally. (Actually, continuing discoveries in science support both Buddha’s and Taoist views. See for example, Science Proves Buddha Right!, p.483;  Stressors of Comfort and Security, p.498; Don’t trust anyone under 60, p.193;  Reward, Fear & Need, p.181;  Mind Over Milkshake, p.440; The Proof is in the Pudding, p.408.)

 

Nov 20, 2015 by Carl Abbott
Filed Under: Observations Tagged With: balance, civilization, ego, Electric Revolution, emotion, enlightenment, evolution, hunter gatherer, instinct, knowing, mysterious sameness, placebo, religion, symptoms point of view, thinking

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Mark says

    Oct 12, 2019 at 8:58 am

    Ah, Carl, your article rings true, and reminds me of something my Aikijujutsu sensei once told me years ago… as humans, we continuously strive for perfection when perfection is unobtainable. Indeed, we know… and we don’t know! How wonderful.

  2. Theresa Domenic says

    Jul 11, 2017 at 11:15 am

    Thank you for your response Carl. I scrolled to your first suggestion and discovered plenty of feedback. I’ve yet to follow up on the other two search results. This is the first that I’ve used the search option and I suspect it will come in handy in the future.

    For now, I’m satisfied with my quiet ruminations on the subject of “appreciation “. Your cognitive acrobats displayed in your “Observations” have quieted my intellectual dissections.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

Monthly Chapter 70 (pandemic era)

See previous chapter postings

Search

Overview

Is Taoism a Religion?   Read more...
What is Taoist thought?   Read more...
What is the root of thought? Read more...

Who is CenterTao?

CenterTao is a non-profit corporation founded in 1982.     Read more...

Subscribe via Email

Tags

addiction balance belief bio-hoodwink Buddha children civilization consciousness desire ego emergent property emotion expectations fairness instinct family fear food freedom freewill future happy hunter gatherer imagination independance instinct knowing language learning mind mysterious sameness need parents pleasure v pain religion responsibility science stress symptoms point of view tai chi tao thinking understanding what is tao worry yoga

Recent Comments

  • MosesK on Is Rock Conscious?
  • Carl Abbott on Alleviating the Hoarding Disorder
  • Carl Abbott on Instinctive Free Will
  • Erin on Alleviating the Hoarding Disorder
  • Carl Abbott on Small ‘t’ Taoists
  • J on Small ‘t’ Taoists
  • Carl Abbott on Buddha’s Truths Pertain To All Life
  • NoahPayne95 on Trump and the Mandate of Heaven
  • Peter on Buddha’s Truths Pertain To All Life
  • Ariel Avalos on The best tao? (road, way, principle, speak, think)

Past Observations

  • Taoist Thought
  • The Tradeoff
  • Buddha’s Truths Pertain To All Life
  • Trump and the Mandate of Heaven
  • Refreshing Redundancy
  • The Year Is 1915
  • We All Know We Don’t Know
  • Who are you? (Part V)
  • Who are you? (Part IV)
  • Who are you? (Part III)
  • Who are you? (Part II)
  • Who are you?
  • The Word Trap
  • Stressors of Comfort and Security
  • “Right state of peaceful mind”
  • What Climate Catastrophy?
  • Straight Poop on the Paleo Diet
  • Fear & Need Born in Nothing
  • Science Proves Buddha Right!
  • Alleviating the Hoarding Disorder
  • Amazon mother
  • Cultivating Character
  • Cultivating Ego
  • Passing judgment is healthy if…
  • Necessity is the Mother
  • Practice what you preach
  • Of Mountains, Molehills and the Supernatural
  • Civilized Insanity
  • Ancient Signs Of Modern Behavior
  • The Good Old Days
  • Modus Operandi
  • Alone with Thought
  • A proper sense of awe
  • CenterTao Group Anyone?
  • Loving Your Eco-System
  • Where does the fault lie?
  • Taoist secrets
  • Laws as Symptoms, not Solutions
  • Loss Aversion Management
  • Mind Over Milkshake
  • Flow Triggers
  • Naturally Racist
  • BRAIN
  • Managing Our Disorders
  • Bono & Musk on Creativity
  • The Harmless People
  • Born Again Taoist
  • Free Willers Anonymous
  • Instinctive Free Will
  • Stupidly Intelligent
  • The Proof is in the Pudding
  • A Wealth of Happiness
  • Natural Happiness
  • Is Happiness In Your Choices?
  • Profound Connections Enlighten
  • Religion… an Opiate?
  • Is Gen Y Unhappy?
  • Remember the Disease
  • The Pendulum Swings
  • You are Immortal!
  • A Rose By Any Other Name
  • Emotion Speaks… Literally
  • I Look, But Do I See?
  • Just like Us, Just like Them
  • Science’s Baby Steps
  • Worthy of a Noble Life?
  • Who says chickens are stupid?
  • Seeking Out Untruth
  • Earn It to Learn It
  • Counterbalancing I.Q.
  • Mind Run Away; Run Away Mind
  • “The rich suffer in comfort”
  • Self-Predation
  • Finding Your Original Self
  • Feeding the Worry Gene
  • Hold the Knowable
  • Good Enough Is!
  • Ponder Between the Lines
  • Soaking in Inspiration
  • A Tao of Parenting
  • Buddha’s Work
  • Insatiably Curious at 70?
  • Breathe Into It
  • Tao of Government
  • Will-to-Live, Free or Otherwise
  • Begin New Years with a smile
  • The Why Of It
  • The Truth vs. The Middle
  • Dumbfounding
  • A Taoist Creed
  • Of Free Will, I Am
  • Discomfort and Pain
  • Undecided? You bet!
  • Siren’s Song of Politics
  • “It’s the Economy Stupid”
  • Networks of Networks of….
  • Can we pull the plug?
  • Yamaguchi San
  • “Fixation on same same”
  • Beware: the Blind Spot
  • And Then There Was Fire
  • Tao and Democracy
  • What’s Not the Elephant?
  • Upping the Ante
  • A Word to the Wise?
  • A Bee with Personality
  • Necessity, the Mother
  • Guilt, Shame and the Name Game
  • The Secret to Happiness!
  • It Began Now
  • I am foolish of human mind also?
  • Seat of Consciousness
  • What Follows Loss of the Way?
  • Placebo Effect
  • Imagining a Better Way
  • Who or What Do You Trust?
  • Giving Your Life a Gift
  • The Only Safe Escape
  • Use Non-Responsibility
  • Be Careful What You Wish
  • Jack of All Trades, Master of None?
  • We only understand what we know
  • Two Paths
  • The Trans Tribal Tao
  • Resistance is Futile
  • A Brother is a Brother
  • Really, Have We No Clue?
  • Why?
  • Gone Fishin’, Back Soon
  • Check One Off the Bucket List
  • Opiate of the Masses
  • The Wealthy Poor
  • Dreaming the Way
  • Sobering up!
  • Oh My Aching Bones
  • The Utility of Knowing What You Don’t Know
  • Naturally Unnatural, Naturally!
  • Naked Thought
  • Success Thru Failure
  • I, Amoeba
  • Why Man is King
  • Ethics as an Emergent Property
  • Loss is Gain; Gain is Loss
  • “… Strive On Diligently”
  • Is Pain the Constant?
  • Ants Are Us
  • Feeling Animal-ness
  • Pleasure Isn’t Well Being
  • Is Rock Conscious?
  • See No Evil
  • Keep ’em guessing?
  • Thou Shalt Not…
  • You Are What You Own
  • Priorities
  • We!
  • You Know
  • Who You Are Determines Who I Am, & Visa Versa
  • An Improper Sense of Awe
  • Thoughts and Ducks Quacking
  • The poetry of it all
  • So, I’d like to ask…
  • Don’t trust anyone under 60
  • Imagination knows no end
  • In Praise Of Nothing
  • It’s Simply Nature’s Way
  • The Truth About Lies
  • It’s Time We Changed Our Name
  • Fear Rules
  • Nothing’s Certain but Death and…
  • Reward, Fear & Need
  • He Who Conquers Self
  • Democracy as Myth
  • So, You Want Enlightenment, Eh?
  • When Is Attachment Good?
  • Let Sleeping Dogs Lie
  • The Story Trumps Truth
  • Water in Mind
  • Why God?
  • Playing With Dolls
  • Belief in Nothing is Dangerous
  • Illusions, Everywhere I Think
  • Wandering Mind Is Unhappy Mind
  • Love
  • Small ‘t’ Taoists
  • Beyond Spooky
  • My Battle With Tobacco
  • John Cleese, a ‘Taoist’?
  • The Nutty Things We Do
  • A Symptom’s Point Of View
  • Fear Is The Bottom Line
  • Change we can believe in?
  • Science, Religion, Truth
  • Children Know What Adults Forget
  • The Spirit of Yoga
  • The less I think, the more I know
  • Exquisite Balance
  • Skullduggery is rampant in nature
  • What Shapes How You Think?
  • Tao As Emergent Property
  • Balancing Difference With Similarity
  • Thinking clouds consciousness
  • Where Is Freedom?
  • Decisions Decisions
  • Poor Thais And Rich Swedes
  • Time’s Arrow
  • Desire and Contentment
  • Learning What You Know
  • We’re Not So Different After All
  • Chairs: One of Our Big Mistakes
  • Gossip, Hysteria, News
  • The Family Purse
  • Swarm Savvy
  • SETI… Quixotic SETI
  • The Worry Gene
  • Odds Are, It’s Wrong
  • Bathtub Tai Chi
  • How the Hoodwink Hooks
  • Omega-3 and Vitamin D
  • He Who Speaks Does Not Know, but…
  • Hunger: A Natural Stimulant
  • Know Truth, Live True
  • Why Not Protest To Raise Taxes?
  • Self Integrity, Slime, and Karma
  • A How-To for Extinguishing Self
  • Significant Others
  • Headstands and Apes
  • The Future Takes Care of Itself
  • Teachers and Students
  • Are You As Happy As You Should Be?
  • Keeping Birthday Happy
  • Why Do Idiot Savants Run Things?
  • Trust But Verify
  • Are You A Beliefaholic?
  • Sage Advice from Wall Street
  • Of Course It’s Alive!
  • What Am I Doing?
  • I understand, but do I know?
  • Just In: We’re All Nuts!
  • The Future is Now!
  • Peeking Through the Covers
  • Innately Ethical
  • Can You Believe What You See?
  • Suicide Just Doesn’t Work
  • A Hypochondriac’s Miracle Cure
  • An Essential Taoist Secret
  • Just How Big Is The Gap?
  • The Theory of God
  • Who is Right?
  • You Are Who You Are By Default
  • Cave Man Shakuhachi?
  • Into the Jungle?
  • Swimming Tai Chi Spermatozoa Style
  • Are you out of touch with nature?
  • It was a dark and stormy night…
  • Cease Treading Water and Just Sink
  • Enjoy What You Do – or – Do What You Enjoy?
  • The Glare Hides ‘Out There’ From View
  • The illusion of ‘moment’
  • Consciousness Physics
  • A Taoist Solution to Gay Marriage
  • Emotion Clear-cuts Perception
  • Right Mindfulness, Attentiveness, and Concentration?
  • The best tao? (road, way, principle, speak, think)
  • The trick lies in not believing, yet believing
  • What is ‘the Tao’ actually?
  • Think what you believe? Believe what you think?
  • Yin Yang, Nature’s Hoodwink
  • Public Tantrums
  • Understanding Understanding
  • Wealth plays out in odd ways
  • Peaches and Pleasure
  • Looking Through the Looking Glass
  • Even a little progress is freedom from fear
  • Religion: The best placebo?
  • Correlation’s ‘Prime Directive’
  • The Cost of Compassion
  • Can you say what you think?
  • Grinding Out Correlations
  • “Do you believe in angels?”
  • The Amazonian ‘Taoists’
  • Is Enlightenment Something or ???
  • Family Life
  • Who’s a Sage?
  • The Gifts Given – Paid In Full
  • King Kiwi
  • Blowing with the sea
  • In praise of kale
  • Always be a beginner
  • It’s Like Magic!
  • How do we know what is true?
  • Am I Bored or Just Content?
  • Do Good Christians Make Good People?
  • PS
  • The Decider
  • Peeking in on Nature’s Hoodwink
  • How to Know You’re Happy
  • It Is Spooky
  • Of What Is The Taoist Model Symptomatic?
  • Is ‘Free Will’ the Only Option?
  • Butterflies have wings; we have minds
  • Mind in Body in Mind in Body…xin
  • Such Synergy
  • Where There’s Passion (fire), There’s Blindness (smoke)
  • Seeing the world ‘out there’
  • Schrödinger’s cat
  • Tai Chi Video
  • Life Is Struggle, Happiness Is Contentment
  • What’s With All The Hair?
  • Tao Views of the Dow
  • Biology’s Blinders: WYSIWYG
  • Those Who Speak Do Not Know. So, Why Speak?
  • Welcome to CenterTao.org 2.0!

Postscript

Here is 2022’s Postscript.

My 80-year-old mind continues poking deeper; however, I’ll not be updating this website any longer… There’s enough already… who needs more?

For those seriously interested, see Taoist Thought (which sells at cost). I intend to continue updating this book with my latest observations and revisions until I draw my last breath.

2004-2015 Forum Archive

Click here to browse a read-only archive of all discussion that took place on this site between 2004 and 2015; over 3000 posts!

Copyright © 2023 Carl Abbott · Log in