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A Biocultural Dialogue between Thoreau and Taoist Thought

Rethinking Environmental Ethics, Nature, Spirituality and Place

Bibliographic Data

ID3462299
AuthorsMichael J Thompson (0000-0001-6428-9817, University of North Texas, corresponding author), Michael Thompson (0000-0002-8454-6603), Li Xu (0000-0001-5665-4861, University of North Texas)
Year2023
Volume14
Issue7
Pages829
Publication date2023-06-25
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueReligions (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 2077-1444 • E-ISSN: 2077-1444
PublisherMDPI AG (PUBLISHER • IT)
DOI10.3390/rel14070829
OpenAlexW4382134318
LanguageEN
Citations received2
References cited9

A fundamental question of the 21st century centers around the role and place of humans in their environment. Given the great acceleration of consumptive practices engaged in the 20th century, humans stand on the brink of a 6th extinction event. In order to determine our place and role in our global environment, we need to reflect on where we are and what the future will be-we need to focus on the habits of our "co-inhabitation" of the planet. Given the positive and negative impacts of international and global activities, intercultural dialogues are necessary for the care of the ecology of the planet, and one of the most prescient dialogues is between Eastern and Western world views. While much comparative research has been conducted regarding the connection between American Transcendentalism and Chinese ancient philosophy, relatively little philosophical work has been conducted to demonstrate the connectivity between Henry David Thoreau and Taoism. Yet there are, in fact, profound similarities between the American naturalist and Chinese philosophy, in particular Taoism. This paper aimed to discover and manifest the connection and similarities between the philosophy of Thoreau and the ancient worldview of Taoism. Through this comparative study and intercultural dialogue, we seek to trace historical precedents and intercultural dialogue between American Transcendentalism and ancient Chinese philosophy in order to explore the groundwork for a new vision of environmental awareness in order to promote a better future with a community of co-inhabitants and emphasis on the well-being of all

Aesthetics · Buddhism · China · Chinese philosophy · Environmental ethics · Environmental philosophy · Environmentalism · Epistemology · Naturalism · Political science · Politics · Sociology · Spirituality · Taoism · Environmental and Cultural Studies in Latin America and Beyond · Environmental Philosophy and Ethics · History · Law · Philosophy

  • Towards a Dao‐Centric Orientation of Sustainability Education

    Open Access•C Tan•Sustainable Development•2026

  • Nature, Spirituality, and Place

    Open Access•Shan Gao•Religions•2023

  • Biological annihilation via the ongoing sixth mass extinction signaled by vertebrate population losses and declines

    Open Access•Gerardo Ceballos, P R Ehrlich et al.•Proceedings of the National…•2017

  • Extinction of experience

    Open Access•Matsuo Soga, Kevin J Gaston•Frontiers in Ecology and the…•2016

  • China's Green Religion

    James Miller•China's Green Religion•2017

  • Taoism and Ecology

    Russell B Goodman, Russell Goodman•Environmental Ethics•1980

  • Biocultural Ethics

    Ricardo Rozzi•Environmental Ethics•2012

  • Conceptual Resources for Environmental Ethics in Asian Traditions of Thought

    J Baird Callicott•Philosophy East and West•1987

Unique citing works2
Citations per year0,67
Citation span2023 - 2026 (4)
Citation velocitycurrent
Highly citedNo
Citation typesNeutral: 2

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