Similarities between Psychology and Classical Taoism

Similarities between Psychology and Classical TaoismJulián Laboy RodríguezUniversidad de Puerto Rico

Presented at the Eleventh International Congress of Qualitative Inquiry, May 2015. 1

General topicsTaoism and Psychology◦Content Analysis

Topics:◦Union or separation of mind and body

◦Union or separation of reason and emotions

◦Construction or representation of knowledge: how do we ‘know’?; how is the world ‘presented’ to us?

2

Presented at the Eleventh International Congress of Qualitative Inquiry, May 2015.

ObjectivesTo make an account of the contributions made directly or indirectly from the Taoist perspective to some psychological topics

To reach a meeting point between Taoism and existing theories in the field of psychology or other academic areas

To reach a consensus between Classical Taoism and some Western perspectives to complement and increase the complexity in their thoughts- which can only arise from mutually sharing knowledge


CONCEPTUAL FRAME


TaoismClassical/Philosophical version (700-220 BC)

Classical texts like the Tao Te Ching or the Chuang Tzu shared pre-existing ideas, but had new motives◦Warring States Era (200-400 BC)

Texts include proverbs, short stories and songs that want change in conventionalisms or recommend a certain regime/practice for the everyday life


TextsAmes, R. & Hall, D. (2003)

Dao De Jing: A philosophical translation featuring the recently discovered bamboo texts. New York: Ballantine Books.

Cleary, T. (2003) The Taoist Classics: The collected translations of Thomas Cleary, Volume one. Boston: Shambhala.◦Chuang Tzu◦Wen-Tzu


Theoretical Models1. Mind-body problem does not

hold Francisco Varela

(Neurophenomenology), Jeffrey Schwartz (Neuroplasticity), L.S. Vygotsky, among others

2. Even when using reason, emotions are always present in our bodies • Humberto Maturana, Antonio Damasio,

L.S. Vygotsky, among othersPresented at the Eleventh International Congress of Qualitative Inquiry, May 2015. 7

Theoretical Models3. a) Radical Constructivism◦Humberto Maturana and Francisco Varela Cultural and biological dimensions connected

b) Social Constructionism◦Kenneth Gergen and Tomás Ibáñez

Construction resides in relationships, and not in our ‘interior’

Emphasis in language usePresented at the Eleventh International Congress of Qualitative Inquiry, May 2015. 8

METHODOLOGY


Content AnalysisAllows for valid inferences that could be replicated (on the quantitative side) regarding texts and the context of their usage

Use of analytical constructs, categories or inference rules to move from the text to the research questions


Method1. Texts were read and most of

categories were pre-established: ◦Union or separation of mind and body: bodily and conscience processes, self-conscience and emergent categories

◦Union or separation of reason and emotions: reasoning, reason, thought, feelings, emotions, and emergent categories

◦Construction or representation of knowledge: how do we ‘know’?; how is the world ‘presented’ to us?: knowledge, perception, self theories, emergent categories Presented at the Eleventh

International Congress of Qualitative Inquiry, May 2015. 11

Method2. Part of the texts where the

categories were mentioned (directly or indirectly) where selected

3. Comparisons with psychological theories were made

4. Research questions were answered with these pertinent fragments


Results’ Example1. Mind-Body◦ Use of specific language◦ Wen Tzu- “Those who are

physically injured by the tortures of extreme climactic conditions find that the spirit is suffocated when the body is exhausted. Those who are psychologically injured by the afflictions of emotions and thoughts find that the body is left over when the spirit is exhausted” (Cleary, 2003, p.161)



心心心

Results’ ExamplePertinence to Psychology◦Research by Alvaro Pascual-Leone in 1995 regarding a volunteer group which practiced a piano exercise

◦“Development” concept as explained by Lev S. Vygotsky- organic maturation + cultural history


Results’ Example2. Reason/Emotions:◦ Tao Te Ching- “What I have to

say is very easy to understand and is very easy to carry out, yet there is no one in the world who is able to understand it and no one who is able to put it into practice. Now what is said has its lineage and what is done has its lord. It is only because it requires unprincipled knowing that they do not understand me” (Ames y Hall, 2003, p.187)


Results’ ExamplePertinence to Psychology◦Emotions as studied by Humberto Maturana (1998)- a fundamental aspect of all living or corporeal dynamic configurations that tells us, all the time, which behaviors are possible

◦Lev S. Vygotsky- Theory that permitted the unity between thought, language, emotions, cognition, the rational… (Rodríguez, 2009)


Results’ Example3. Construction or representation

Chuang Tzu: “If not for other, there is no self. If not for self, nothing is apprehended. This is not remote, but we don’t know what constitutes the cause. There seems to be a real director, but we cannot find any trace of it. Its effectiveness is already proven, but we don’t see its form. It has sense, but no form” (Cleary, 2003, p.57)


Results’ ExamplePertinence to Psychology◦K. Gergen (1991; 2006) and Social Constructionism- human relationships as origin of “self”. Importance of social conventionalisms, rules, and rhetorical options when speaking of “the world”

◦H. Maturana (1992) and Constructivism- knowledge as an adequate behavior accepted by an observer in a particular domain which he or she specifies…Presented at the Eleventh


CONCLUSIONS


Conclusions1. To make an account of the contributions made directly or indirectly from the Taoist perspective to some psychological topics◦Starting from their style of writing, there is no mind-body problem

◦Reason and emotions are two sides of the same coin

◦Knowledge is relative and depends on context. Many aspects are involved.


Conclusions2. To reach a meeting point

between Taoism and existing theories in the field of psychology or other academic areas

◦ Taoism reaches a meeting point with Psychology, but only with unorthodox, non-traditional, or critical perspectives of the field


Conclusions3. To reach a consensus between Classical Taoism and some Western perspectives to complement and increase the complexity in their thoughts- which can only arise from mutually sharing knowledge◦Taoism serves as part of the history of Psychology

◦Psychology can provide years of research and theories that may provide solid arguments for Classical Taoist ideas Presented at the Eleventh


ReferencesAmes, R. & Hall, D. (2003) Dao De Jing: A philosophical translation featuring

the recently discovered bamboo texts. New York: Ballantine Books.Cleary, T. (2003) Chuang Tzu y Wen Tzu. En The taoist classics: The

collected translations of Thomas Cleary, Volume one. Boston: Shambhala.Gergen, K. (1991) Hacia una psicología posmoderna. En Investigación

psicológica. Año I, 97-109._________ (2006). Construir la realidad. El futuro de la psicoterapia. Barcelona: Paidós.

Laboy, J. (2011). From Tao to Psychology: An Introduction to the Bridge between East and West. 0000: Xlibris.

Maturana, H. y Bloch, S. (1998). Biología del emocionar y Alba Emoting. Chile: Dolmen Ensayo.

Maturana, H. (1992). La objetividad: Un argumento para obligar. Chile: J.C.Sáez.

Rodríguez, W. (2009). Los conceptos de vivencia y situación social del desarrollo: Reflexiones en torno a su lugar en el modelo teórico de Lev S. Vygotski. Conferencia magistral ofrecida en el Tercer Simposio sobre la Tutoría para el Desarrollo Humano. Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León: México.


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Similarities between Psychology and Classical Taoism

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