Metaphysical Ideas. "i" Study

Laozi is the outset of the metaphysics of Chinese ancient philosophy. Its thoughts of metaphysics focus on the first principle about the world,that is:what the original reason of the world is;if the Tao which is the original reason of the world has its own reason by itself;how the relationship is between Tao and utility,reality and practicality,actuality and emptiness,which are decided by the properties of Tao;how the metaphysical propositions of "Tao" can be carried outinto the land of the living;where the foundation of morality is,according to which,people walk inthe world;how we can talk about the puzzles which are related to the universality and individuality,potential and reality of the reality of the world. All these problems deal with theobjects and methods of the metaphysical thinking and are very close to Metaphysic in the westernphilosophy. Therefore,we can do a dialogue between Chinese and western philosophy entirely on the level of Metaphysic and clarify the spirits of the metaphysic of Chinese ancient philosophy through the compare of them,especially the ones in Laozi.Beginning with the "Tao",Laozi conceives a thought system including the metaphysic of "Tao",morality and speech. Its subject is "emptiness",which plays a more important role in the thoughts of Laozi's metaphysical thoughts. The reason for this is that "Tao" has its meaning through "emptiness" and "emptiness" endows "Tao" with universality. "Emptiness" is the abstract and recapitulate of all the incarnations of "Tao",including "without a name","immateriality","without a shape" and " without any objects". The problem of "emptiness" is the most extensive and deepest for Human beings set themselves into the ceaseless asking to "emptiness" and not only asking themselves but also looking for the bases on which they do everything in the process of asking to "emptiness". The problem of "emptiness" is also ultimate. The reason for this is that the metaphysical thoughts focus on the principals of the identity of the world meanwhile "emptiness" fitly comes out with the problem which the metaphysical thinking asks but cannot make clear at the beginning. The difference between "emptiness" and "reality" is that "emptiness"has got rid of the bother of "reality",and doesn't ask the essence of being but talk about the shapesof "Tao". Therefore,it is not only limited by oughtness but also defined by "muteness".In the metaphysical thoughts about cosmology and ontology of Laozi,which are based on the "Tao",Tao's appearance lies in its original character,that is,the co-composing of "emptiness" and"reality". As matter,it is a moony shape,and between the "reality" and "emptiness". As itself,"Tao" is lonely,sequester,far-reaching and grandiose. Therefore,it can't be grasped through ours sense organs,can't be generalized by fixed concepts,and can't be stated by experiential propositions. It only appears as "shapes". Through "emptiness",it shows that "Tao" is original,shows the meaning of cosmology. Finally,it shows the eternity and "emptiness" of the reality of universe through the relationship between "emptiness" and "time and space".The metaphysics of "Tao" is also one of morality. If we can say that the metaphysics of "Tao" is the start of Laozi' metaphysical philosophy,becoming a metaphysics of morality is its end-result. Laozi thinks that if you grasp "Tao",you will possess of virtues. To everyone,virtues mean that you fix "Tao" in your heart and don't lose it,that is,it has become a virtue on you and some moral principals in practice. Laozi's thinking of "morality" is also non-experiential and transcendent because he begins with the true nature of human being. Therefore,Laozi's metaphysics of morality starts out from the man's "virtue",and seeks the highest principals of moral practice through criticizing experiences and establishing life' tenets. And just for this,it has its purity. Like the metaphysics of "Tao","emptiness" is also the core of the metaphysics of morality. If people want to grasp the "Tao",he must be b...