Title: Daoist Reflections on the See-Saw of Contingency and Autonomy: The Laozi and Zhuangzi in Dialogue with Sandel, Rosa, Rorty, Gray
Abstract: Nearly all philosophical inquiry is rooted in contingency. From ontology and theories of God to politics and ethics, dealing with, explaining, planning for, or even following contingency is a consistent theme. In the background of their recent works, Michael Sandel, Hartmut Rosa, John Gray, and Richard Rorty all see contingency and autonomy in a see-saw relationship: more of one correspondingly results in less of the other. Daoist philosophical reflections provide a different take on contingency. We can still have an experience of “self” and of making choices without positing any notion of autonomy outside of contingency.