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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.