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Work #630 · Mid

The Importance of Living

Lin Yutang
1937 · English
Popular philosophical-cultural essay · Chinese popular philosophy / cross-cultural

Lin Yutang's 1937 foundational popular philosophy — Chinese leisure-philosophy presented to the modern West

Attribute Fingerprint

Rows where works disagree are highlighted in gold. The full ontology grid is shown.

Attribute The Importance of Living (Mid)
Time · Extent Infinite
Time · Ontological Status Substantival
Time · Grain Continuous
Time · Freedom Non-Deterministic
Time · Traversability Linear
Time · Dimensionality One
Time · Direction Uni-directional
Space · Extent Infinite
Space · Ontological Status Substantival
Space · Curvature Flat
Space · Dimensionality Three
Space · Locality Local
Matter · Extent Infinite
Matter · Ontological Status Substantival
Matter · Conservation Conserved
Matter · Dimensionality Three
Matter · Locality Local
Observer · Time Instance Single
Observer · Space Instance Single
Observer · Knowledge Extent Partial
Observer · Knowledge Retainment Total
Observer · Physicality Embodied
Observer · Agency Both
Observer · Number Plural
Observer · Metaphysical Agency None
Observer · Moral Authority Tradition
Observer · Theological Method —
Energy · Extent Infinite
Energy · Ontological Status Substantival
Energy · Conservation Conserved
Energy · Dispersibility Irreversible
Information · Ontological Status Substantival
Information · Cosmic Conservation Conserved
Information · Personal Conservation Conserved
Information · Granularity Continuous

Dimension-by-Dimension Evidence

What each work's passages reveal about its stance on each of the six dimensions.

⧖

Time

The Importance of Living

The leisurely time of Chinese humanism.

✦

Space

The Importance of Living

The Chinese cultural-domestic space.

◉

Matter

The Importance of Living

The embodied Chinese person enjoying life.

◎

Observer

The Importance of Living

The reasonable-Chinese sage of leisure.

⚡

Energy

The Importance of Living

Energies of humane leisure.

⧉

Information

The Importance of Living

Foundational popular Chinese-philosophical framework.

Internal Tensions

Where each work's argument pulls against itself.

The Importance of Living

Lin Yutang foundational for popular Western reception of Chinese thought.