Title

Explaining the Haoliang Debate with the Aid of Merleau-Ponty’s Account of Emotion

Author

Cheng Hsi-heng

Genre

Article

Pages

631-650

Download

PDF

Language

Chinese

Key words

the Haoliang濠梁 debate, Zhuangzi莊子, Maurice Merleau-Ponty, emotion, the joy of fish

Abstract

The Haoliang濠梁 debate in Zhuangzi莊子 refers to the debate between Zhuangzi and Huizi 惠子over how it is possible to know the joy of fish. This article addresses two issues. The first concerns the problem of who, Zhuangzi or Huizi, is the more capable debater and inquirer. The argumentative strategies adopted by both Zhuangzi and Huizi are analyzed and clarified respectively, and it is shown that Zhuangzi is more capable because he employs a superior strategy and occupies a relatively stronger position. The second issue concerns the problem of how Zhuangzi can know the joy of fish. Merleau-Ponty’s account of the body and emotion in Phenomenology of Perception is interpreted to develop the very clue given by Zhuangzi himself as to how he knows the joy of fish; to wit, he knows the joy of fish through his perception of the ease and calmness of the fish’s swimming movement.