To Argue as Zhuangzi Argues: On Steve Coutinho’s Interpretation of Ethics in the Zhuangzi

A quest for ethics in the Zhuangzi 莊子 serves two primary purposes: (1) to understand what Zhuangzi can teach us about ethics, and (2) to seek alternative insights in the Daoist classic for addressing the ethical issues of our time. It is commonly believed that ethics is not Zhuangzi’s primary concern. For example, Chad Hansen famously said in his study, A Daoist Theory of Chinese Thought: A Philosophical Interpretation, that what Zhuangzi tells us about the “Hitler problem” is merely that “Hitler happened” (Hansen 1992: 290). However, other scholars, such as Jung H. Lee, believe that “early Daoist texts consistently advance an ethical program” (Lee 2014: 8). My aspiration in this essay is to identify Zhuangzi’s commitment to moral positions. I attempt to do this in my presentation and critique of Steve Coutinho’s interpretation of ethics in the Zhuangzi.