“The way of does nothing, yet nothing is left undone” (Philip J. Ivanhoe, 2003) is a statement that can be easily misunderstood by anyone. It could be rephrased to “do nothing, and there is nothing left undone”. The statement may create a great deal of controversies in the interpretation. The word “doing” refers to one getting engaged in a certain activity leading to a particular result. The word “nothing: means not getting involved, and hence no progress. The controversy then would be, can one do nothing, and yet everything happens?
The verse is implying the Tao teaching of achieving alignment with nature. It thus calls for observation and conformity with nature. Nature has no desires or intentions and thus it does not set out particular things to do. However, through nature everything happens. It has endless cycles of birth, growth, death, and steady growth and expansion in itself. All these processes are occurring at their own time, and from an inactive point.
“Those good at fighting are never war like” (Philip J. Ivanhoe, 2003) indicate the humility and lowly life of a strong people. War like people have aggressive tendencies, and tend to be wrathful. Such people strive day in day out in order to achieve what they want. In such case, these people are unwise. It would be easy to identify a warlike person, and if one is the target enemy would be able to adequately prepare to counter much the impending enemy. The wrath, strive, and boastfulness would betray him. Those who excel in war know how to utilize other men to conquer the enemy. Such does not require striving but use of natural cooperation and intelligence.
It is thus advisable in the current life for one not to strive unnecessarily and lead an unhappy life. For example, many people work aggressively in business, and workplaces get very tired, and take advantage over others and betray them in order to benefit, when the accomplices realize they tend to revenge leading to life full of fear, anxiety, and consequently a generally unhappy life. Those who work very hard means that they do not work in a smart way. If one works smart by utilizing other men to work for him would not strive, and yet would live a better life.
In this case, the hurdles of life would be interpreted be the enemy. For example, it is true that most successful people do not necessarily strive but work smartly, utilizing men to gain wealth and live happily. Knowing what to invest in and when to invest saves one a lot of time, losses, and brings in abundant gain. Since the strong are able to identify their weaknesses, they would thus be contented with themselves and act accordingly in order to succeed. Are those who are not warlike, have virtues? Does habituation play a role in acquiring virtues as describe above?
“If something is by nature in one condition, habituation cannot bring it into another condition” (Aristotle, in Nicomechean Ethics) may have several interpretations. The statement means that what is by nature determined cannot change due any other thing from its original state (Nathan Bowditch, 2008). For example, if a stone goes down naturally, it would not go in any other direction even when one throws it up a thousand times. It shall still move down. Human morals and virtues are not natural. The virtues lack the capabilities of nature as senses that are automated to react when needed.
Since virtues are not natural, they can thus be habituated and changed from one state to another. In this case, one is virtue less can acquire virtues by imitating others. Habituation would thus influence the behavioral trends by imitating the person with right virtues. Therefore, if one was not doing well and begins to do well, the repetitive nature of the action would thus make the person’s state on virtues change.
Such a scenario is in play in the current world where individual are able to control their gratification and hence act in a virtues manner. For example, if one has the desire to be rich, such a desire can be fulfilled if the person follows the right channels to attain such a state. In case one lacks virtue and tries to use unacceptable methods such as stealing, one can be rectified by repeatedly not doing so but instead working to gain wealth. In this case, habituation would instill virtues to the individual.
“A human being would seem to be a principal of action" (Aristotle, in Nicomechean Ethics) is a statement that asserts the role human beings play in making choices that influence him. Actions that are related are associated with virtues are chosen over those without virtues. In this case, Aristotle divided such action in three categories. The voluntary actions i.e. actions that an individual willfully choices to do; they involve active willful choosing. The involuntary actions are actions that comprise of the acts that one has no choice over. A person does not choose to do a wrong or right. For example, if one acts due to wrong understanding of a facts and acts, the wrong act is involuntary. The non-voluntary comprising of wrong actions done by choice i.e. the person has a choice to do or not to do the bad acts.
Such is applicable in the society today. As one may one, the world is well informed than before due to the invention of the technology and the internet. Therefore, the levels of ignorance have gone low. It is thus imperative bad actions are done by one’s free choices or involuntary due to misunderstanding. However, this does not rule out the actions based on the personal choices based on either to do or not. Individual makes deliberate choices that end up determining one’s character since character is inferred from one’s actions. Since one’s actions determine one’s happiness, it is up to the individual to make the right choices. Lawyers use these principles to encourage and discourage good voluntary actions and shows leniency to involuntary acts.
In conclusion, the four statements are interrelated. One has to conform to the nature and act only when necessary to derive the highest possible happiness. The humans are defined by their acts. It is thus expected of the acts to be moderated through virtues. Virtues are not natural and hence can be acquired through habituation. Therefore, a virtue less person is thus encouraged to follow the ways of the up right to gain the virtues.
Work cited
Shawn Cartwright. Do Nothing and There is Nothing Left Undone. 2011. Retrieved from http://silenttao.com/2010/04/do-nothing-and-there-is-nothing-left-undone/
Lionel Giles translation. Lowliness and Humility http://www.sacred-texts.com/tao/salt/salt07.htm
Nathan Bowditch. Aristotle on habituation: The key to unlocking the Nicomachean Ethics. The American University, Cairo. 2008
Burger, Ronna Aristotle's Dialogue with Socrates: On the Nicomachean Ethics. University of Chicago Press. 2008.
Philip J. Ivanhoe . The Daodejing of Laozi. Hackett Publishing, Mar 7, 2003
