The play of negativity : an exploration of an apophatic discourse in Daoist philosophy and negative theology

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dc.contributor.advisorWyschogrod, Edithen_US
dc.creatorZhang, Ellen Yingen_US
dc.date.accessioned2018-11-26T17:15:13Zen_US
dc.date.available2018-11-26T17:15:13Zen_US
dc.date.issued1995en_US
dc.description.abstractThis dissertation is an attempt to bring Daoist philosophy and negative theology into conversation. The comparative project itself by no means suggests an identification of the Daoist "Dao" with the Christian "God," nor does it argue for a contrast between a "non-logocentric China" with a "logocentric West." However divergent China and the West may be the notion of "Dao" in Daoist philosophy and the notion of "God" in negative theology, share what I call a "gesture of negativity." My project then is a comparative study of a philosophical/theological discourse which deals with the problem of ineffability. I propose that the apophatic gesture is inevitably paradoxical when speech is deployed in order to surpass itself. I compare the notions of wang and wuwei in Daoism with the notion of Gelassenheit in negative theology, and the Daoist wu with Derrida's denegation. I argue that the play of negativity does not suggest the rejection of meanings as such; rather like many other discourses, it participates in creation, construction, and destruction of meaning within particular philosophical and theological configurations.en_US
dc.format.digitalOriginreformatted digitalen_US
dc.format.extent251 ppen_US
dc.identifier.callnoTHESIS RELI. 1995 ZHANGen_US
dc.identifier.citationZhang, Ellen Ying. "The play of negativity : an exploration of an apophatic discourse in Daoist philosophy and negative theology." (1995) Diss., Rice University. <a href="https://hdl.handle.net/1911/103404">https://hdl.handle.net/1911/103404</a>.en_US
dc.identifier.digitalRICE2436en_US
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/1911/103404en_US
dc.language.isoengen_US
dc.rightsCopyright is held by the author, unless otherwise indicated. Permission to reuse, publish, or reproduce the work beyond the bounds of fair use or other exemptions to copyright law must be obtained from the copyright holder.en_US
dc.subjectPhilosophyen_US
dc.subjectTheologyen_US
dc.subjectPhilosophy, religion and theologyen_US
dc.titleThe play of negativity : an exploration of an apophatic discourse in Daoist philosophy and negative theologyen_US
dc.typeThesisen_US
dc.type.materialTexten_US
thesis.degree.departmentReligious Studiesen_US
thesis.degree.disciplineHumanitiesen_US
thesis.degree.grantorRice Universityen_US
thesis.degree.levelDoctoralen_US
thesis.degree.nameDoctor of Philosophyen_US
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