Ziran: The Philosophy of Spontaneous Self-Causation

SUNY series in Chinese Philosophy and Culture

by Brian Bruya

Ziran , an idea from ancient Daoism, defies easy translation into English but can almost be captured by the term "spontaneity." It means "self-causation," if "self" is understood as fundamentally plural, and "causation" is understood as sensitivity and responsiveness. Applying ziran to the fields of action theory, attention theory, and aesthetics, Brian Bruya uses easy-to-read, straightforward prose to show, step-by-step, how this philosophical concept from an ancient tradition can be used to advance theory today. Incorporated into contemporary philosophy of action, ziran opens us to the notion of movement and action as self-organizing. Incorporated into contemporary cognitive science, ziran opens us to the possibility of effortless attention, contrary to the reigning paradigm. Incorporated into contemporary aesthetics, ziran opens us to a new category of art—somatic art—and a new, refined understanding of improvisation.

Genres: Taoism

166 pages, Hardcover

Published July 1, 2022

About the author

Brian J. Bruya considers himself a bridge between East and West, presenting and interpreting ideas from ancient traditions that are relevant for theory and life today. Professor of Philosophy at Eastern Michigan University, he received his B.A. in Philosophy and Chinese from the University of Washington and his M.A. and Ph.D. in Philosophy from the University of Hawaii, the world's center of gravity for comparative philosophy. He has been a Fulbright Scholar and Templeton Fellow.