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The Tao of Pooh

Disciplines:
philosophy
popular culture

Summary

Benjamin Hoff's account of Taoist principles as illustrated by the characters in A.A. Milne's Winnie-the-Pooh stories — Pooh as the embodiment of wu wei (non-action).

Core Contribution

P'u (the uncarved block) as Pooh: Pooh's simplicity and directness — his refusal to overcomplicate — as an embodiment of the Taoist ideal of the uncarved block. Accessible introduction to Taoism for a Western audience. The contrast with Rabbit (overthinking), Owl (false expertise), and Eeyore (pessimism) as illustrations of un-Taoist approaches.

Historical Influences

Lao Tzu A.A. Milne

Intellectual Lineage

American Popular PhilosophyTaoism

Allied Works

The Te of PigletTao Te Ching

Contemporaries & Peers

Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance

Minds Influenced

Popular Taoism

Intellectual Posterity

No conceptual posterity found.

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