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Useful Nothingness Research Paper

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Useful Nothingness Thirty spokes share one hub. It is just the space between them that makes a cart function as a cart. Knead clay to make a vessel and you find within it the space that makes a vessel a vessel. Within a house built with doors and windows you will find the space that makes a house function as a house. Hence the substance can provide a condition under which usefulness is found, but nothingness is the usefulness itself. Useful means being of service, or serving some purpose. Without nothingness, the empty spaces, an item such as a wheel on a cart would not work properly. The purpose of a cart is to transport items or people from Place A to Place B. It does so by being propelled on four evenly proportioned wheels. These …show more content…

If something lacks a purpose or role, then it is neither functional nor useful. When building a house, a carpenter would not carve a solid block of wood attach a roof and call it a functional house. There is no door, no windows, no way to enter the house and take advantage of the shelter it could provide, that it is made for. A solid block lacks the functionality of shelter, warmth, and protection from possible dangers. But a block with empty spaces, a door, a window, a room, can shelter you from a storm, keep you warm and dry, and could help you escape from an approaching …show more content…

It helps balance out the good and the bad in your life. The Taoist government sits back almost as if it has no rule and lets things unfold, but at the same time it still regulates everyone to help keep them balanced. They do this because if there was too much government or too little government there would be chaos. This ties to Yin and Yang. You need to know how to balance out your Yin and Yang. Yin is a receptive, feminine, dark, passive force. Yin is the darker element and corresponds with the night. It is usually symbolized by water or earth, while Yang is symbolized by Fire or wind. Yang is a creative, masculine, bright, active force. It is considered the sunny place and is the brighter of the elements and corresponds with the day. Yin and Yang are described as two primal opposing principles that are complementary at the same time. They are found in all objects and processes in the universe. Most forces in nature can be seen as having Yin and Yang states, which are usually in movement rather than held in absolute stasis. While in Western culture there is a view of “good and bad” meaning there is a preference to being good. Being a good person, a good citizen, and not sinning. In Chinese philosophy the division of “good and bad” doesn’t have a preference or moral superiority to either side. In Chinese philosophy, “good and bad,” Yin and Yang are linked in cyclical processes rather than progress. But in Taoism, Yin is often valued above Yang. But

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