The Tao Is Silent
by Raymond Smullyan
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Description
The Tao Is Silent Is Raymond Smullyan's beguiling and whimsical guide to the meaning and value of eastern philosophy to westerners. "To me," Writes Smullyan, "Taoism means a state of inner serenity combined with an intense aesthetic awareness. Neither alone is adequate; a purely passive serenity is kind of dull, and an anxiety-ridden awareness is not very appealing." This is more than a book on Chinese philosophy. It is a series of ideas inspired by Taoism that treats a wide variety of show more subjects about life in general. Smullyan sees the Taoist as "one who is not so much in search of something he hasn't, but who is enjoying what he has." Readers will be charmed and inspired by this witty, sophisticated, yet deeply religious author, whether he is discussing gardening, dogs, the art of napping, or computers who dream that they're human. show lessTags
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Member Reviews
Warm, friendly book free from the pretention or mystical foggy-headedness typical to books about eastern philosophy. It does not try to impress with insight, but entertain and illuminate.
This book isn't really about taoism. It's about Raymond Smullyan. Page after page.
If you want to know about taoism, there are better books. If you want to read about Raymond Smullyan, this is the book you need.
If you want to know about taoism, there are better books. If you want to read about Raymond Smullyan, this is the book you need.
Not much here. Kind of cute, as if Feynman was into Taoism. I liked some of his logic-wordplay, I'm interested in reading something else of his maybe.
An excellent introduction to Taoist thought by the logician Raymond Smullyan. Explores the differences between eastern and western religious thinking with a charming style.
It was fairly entertaining, but I cannot say I learned much about taoism...
Selten ein philosophisches / spirituelles Buch gelesen, das mich dauernd schmunzeln liess. Dieses tat es.
Jul 20, 2011German
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Author Information
46+ Works 5,132 Members
Raymond Merrill Smullyan was born in Far Rockaway, Queens, New York on May 25, 1919. He received a bachelor's degree in mathematics from the University of Chicago and a Ph.D. from Princeton University. He taught at Princeton, Yeshiva University, Lehman College of the City University of New York, and Indiana University. He also performed magic show more under the stage name Five-Ace Merrill at nightclubs like the Pump Room in Chicago. He was a puzzle-creating logician who wrote many books including The Chess Mysteries of the Arabian Knights, The Lady or the Tiger?: And Other Logic Puzzles, Alice in Puzzle-Land: A Carrollian Tale for Children, and The Magic Garden of George B and Other Logic Puzzles. He died on February 6, 2017 at the age of 97. (Bowker Author Biography) show less
Common Knowledge
- Original publication date
- 1977
Classifications
- Genres
- Religion & Spirituality, Nonfiction, Philosophy, General Nonfiction
- DDC/MDS
- 299.51482 — Religion Other religions Religions not provided for elsewhere Of Asian Origin Religions of Chinese Origin Taoism Scriptures
- LCC
- B127 .T3 .S65 — Philosophy, Psychology and Religion Philosophy (General) By period Ancient
- BISAC
Statistics
- Members
- 520
- Popularity
- 57,132
- Reviews
- 6
- Rating
- (4.00)
- Languages
- 7 — Dutch, English, German, Hungarian, Polish, Spanish, Turkish
- Media
- Paper, Ebook
- ISBNs
- 10
- ASINs
- 3
