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    54 Results in the "Philosophy" category


    • Chapter 4: Spelling Tuesday Cover
      by testsuphomeAdmin Chapter 4: Spelling Tuesday, In a passage from Winnie-the-Pooh, Pooh visits Owl in the Hundred Acre Wood, hoping that Owl can help answer his questions. Owl represents the kind of busy, scholarly figure that Taoist philosophers like Lao-tse and Chuang-tse often critiqued, as they believed that such individuals were too caught up in complex thinking to grasp the simplicity of Taoist principles. In the modern world, scholars are still often the ones who study Taoism. However, rather than experiencing life…
    • Chapter 3: The Tao of Who? Cover
      by testsuphomeAdmin Chapter 3: The Tao of Who? Pooh shares with Hoff that he has learned about Taoist concepts from his ancestors, like the poet "Li Pooh" and the painter "Pooh Tao-tse." Hoff gently corrects him, noting that the real names are Wu Tao-tse and Li Po. In the Taoist tradition, a central concept is P’u, which means “the Uncarved Block.” Unlike abstract ideas, Taoists prefer to explain such concepts through real-world examples, making them more tangible. P’u represents the natural, unaltered state of…
    • Chapter 2: The How of Pooh? Cover
      by testsuphomeAdmin Chapter 2: The How of Pooh? In this chapter, Hoff introduces Pooh to the concept of Taoism, a philosophy many people are not familiar with. Hoff believes the best way to start understanding Taoism is by exploring its roots in China. To help explain this, Hoff and Pooh imagine themselves walking through a Chinese city, where they encounter a calligraphy shop. The shopkeeper presents them with a painted scroll called "The Vinegar Tasters." This scroll features three figures—Confucius, Buddha, and…
    • Chapter 1: Foreword Cover
      by testsuphomeAdmin Foreword: The journey of writing often begins not with a grand plan, but with a curious spark. When Pooh notices Benjamin Hoff writing, his innocent interruption becomes the foundation of something greater. Hoff, trying to explain his book, declares it’s about staying peaceful and content no matter what. Pooh, with his usual calm demeanor, challenges this idea not by argument, but with a simple question—whether Hoff has truly understood the lessons he’s writing about. That question hits deeper than…
    • About the Author Cover
      by testsuphomeAdmin The Tao of Pooh begins with the author, Benjamin Hoff, offering a glimpse into his life, personality, and interests. Hoff, a writer from Oregon, describes himself as someone with a diverse range of passions, including writing, photography, music, and composing. He expresses a deep appreciation for nature, particularly forests and bears, and humorously reflects on his academic history, noting his degree in Asian Art but acknowledging that he hasn’t confirmed the specifics in quite some time. This…
    • I Cheerfully Refuse Cover
      by testsuphomeAdmin ​”I Cheerfully Refuse” is a novel by Leif Enger, published on April 2, 2024. Set in a near-future America marked by societal collapse and environmental challenges, the story follows Rainy, a musician who embarks on a journey across Lake Superior in search of his beloved wife, Lark, a bookseller who has recently passed away. As Rainy navigates the treacherous waters, he encounters a society plagued by illiteracy, a corrupt ruling class, and crumbling infrastructure. Along the way, he forms unexpected alliances, including with a young girl named Sol, and becomes an inadvertent symbol of resistance against the oppressive forces that dominate this dystopian landscape. The novel explores themes of love, loss, resilience, and the enduring power of storytelling.
    • Pooh Discovers Tao in ‘The Vinegar Tasters’ Cover
      by testsuphomeAdmin The Vinegar Tasters offers a playful yet insightful introduction to the Taoist philosophy through a whimsical dialogue between the narrator and Pooh. As Pooh expresses curiosity about Taoism, which he has heard of but doesn’t fully understand, the narrator crafts an imaginative journey to China to clarify this concept. They find themselves in a small shop full of allegorical scrolls and stumble upon a painting titled "The Vinegar Tasters." This artwork features three significant figures—Confucius,…
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