Taoism and Functional Programming: In Place

12 pointsolliesaunders3 comments

Like functional programming, Taoism aggressively minimises mutability. A true Taoist seeks to change the world as little as possible and refrains from acting as much as he can, creating the stable foundation on which Taoism is built and removing changing context from decisions of right and wrong. This allows Taoism to appear wise, possessing many hallmarks of wisdom in spades:

- Logically true. - Universally applicable. - Highly abstract. - Foreign concepts.

But how wise is Taoism really? Once you outlaw mutability, Taoism is merely a collection of virtues deftly derived from logical extension, no more impressive that the logical extensions a programming language designer makes from an established paradigm.

Immutability is not without merits, but, if you value mutability in life (and most of us do), Taoism cannot be accepted. The best alternative then, is to understand that a virtuous life is not achieved principally through the application of very abstract concepts (these are few), but through the rapid mastery of relative, changing, specifics: A virtuous country is one that adapts its laws fastest to a changing world; a virtuous person is one who does not hesitate to change his opinion when it has been proven wrong; etc.

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Therefore the Master acts without doing anything and teaches without saying anything. Things arise and she lets them come; things disappear and she lets them go. She has but doesn't possess, acts but doesn't expect. When her work is done, she forgets it. That is why it lasts forever.