Aesthetic Commonalities in the Ethics of Daoism and Stoicism

This essay compares the ethics of Daoists and Stoics by emphasizing the extent to which their moral thought relates to aesthetic ideas, themes, and issues. Topics include simplicity, unity with nature, humor, humility, and literary devices. I - show that Daoism and Stoicism are both equipped to give an aesthetic reply to Nietzsche's critique of nature as being wasteful and devoid of mercy. My next concern is to refute the charge that Stoicism and Daoism support ethical or aesthetic relativism. Finally, I - identify and consider the presence of so-called feminine virtues in both schools.