Stoicism vs Daoism: two of the most influential philosophies that humanity has ever known - the former - a philosophy born in the busy markets of Athens and polished in the imperial courts of Rome - and the latter - an enchanting Eastern worldview rooted in the poetic mysticism of China's yesteryears.
Join me on a philosophical journey that spans cultures, where we begin by looking at the basic tenets of each philosophy before highlighting their unexpected similarities and startling differences.
This exploration is not purely an intellectual pursuit, for it seeks to answer the question of how we can find harmony in a chaotic world and live a life that is meaningful and balanced at the same time. As you can see, the stakes are higher than merely understanding these schools of thought superficially, so the journey is well worth your time.
Ready to dive in? Let's see what words wisdom Stoicism and Daoism have to offer the 21st century human.
Stoicism: Basic Tenets
The philosophy of Stoicism can be traced back to Ancient Greece and is a school of thought that posits that personal virtue and wisdom are key to a well-lived life. Stoicism argues that the path to happiness (more accurately, eudaimonia) lies not in attempting to reshape the world according to our desires - which is seen as a fool’s errand - but in practicing radical acceptance of reality and placing our attention solely on the things we can control.
Stoicism is a philosophy grounded in the reality of daily life and its practical concerns which encourages its practitioners to arm themselves with rationality, patience and an attitude of loving one’s fate. Material wealth, power, reputation, and other external circumstances are seen as neither good nor evil in themselves, so practicing Stoicism is not incompatible with worldly accomplishments, so long as their pursuit does not hinder the ultimate Stoic goal of practicing virtue.
Through developing an understanding of the workings of the universe, as well as our place within it, Stoicism provides a framework for dealing with the trials of life with grace and resilience. Among Stoic imperatives, living in accordance with nature (both actual nature, as well as our OWN nature) stands out as a way to achieve tranquility, as well as to garner the strength required to pursue moral excellence daily.
Daoism: Fundamental Beliefs
Daoism (sometimes referred to as Taoism), is an ancient philosophical and religious tradition from China that advocates for living in harmony with the Dao - the natural order of the universe - a principle that is said to pervade all aspects of existence.
The best way to align oneself with the Dao is by practicing the so-called “Wu Wei” - roughly translatable as “effortless action”, which implies that all actions performed in accordance to the Dao are spontaneous, effortless, and - most importantly - effective.
Individuals are encouraged to live an uncomplicated life, free from excessive desires and ambitions, which are seen as the root cause of all human dissatisfaction and unrest. To this end, yielding, flexibility, and the wisdom of understanding when to act and when to step back are seen as essential tools that need to be kept sharp through consistent use. A follower of Daoism would strive to adapt oneself to the patterns and rhythms of the natural world instead of striving for personal goals.
Even if this is your first (formal) encounter with Daoism, I’m willing to bet that you’re already familiar with one of its core concepts: Yin and Yang. The phrase is used to refer to the idea that there are two complementary and opposing forces in every aspect of life which interact with each other continuously to maintain the balance of the universe.
Stoicism vs Daoism: Similarities
The similarities between Stoicism and Daoism mainly refer to their commitment to living in harmony with the world, seeking to achieve inner peace through self-reflection, their emphasis on ethics, as well as a continuous strive for balance in all things.
Living in Harmony With the World
Despite appearing in vastly different cultural and historical contexts, both schools of thought have profound insights to offer when it comes to the question of living in greater harmony with the world and achieving inner peace.
In Stoicism, this idea manifests as living in agreement with (human) nature and accepting things as they are. This is often summed up in the concept of "Amor Fati" - the love of everything that happens - which encourages us to embrace our destiny wholeheartedly, no matter how difficult or challenging it might seem. Since Nature is seen as a rational (and ultimately comprehensible) entity, we can fulfill our duty to live in alignment with it when we exercise judgment in everything that we do.
Similarly, Daoism pleads for understanding the flows and rhythms of Nature - the manifestations of the Dao - and not resisting them. From this perspective, this ancient Asian philosophy is also teaching us that we should be adapting ourselves to the universe rather than trying to impose our will onto it.
Way To Achieve Inner Peace
Both philosophies concern themselves with reducing human suffering and consider their advice as a gateway to achieving inner peace. For a Stoic, serenity is the result of discipline, self-reflection (sometimes in the form of journaling), and accepting the world as it is, while for Daoists it is the natural consequence of trusting the wisdom of the universe and going with the flow of the Dao.
Emphasis on Ethics
Both Stoicism and Daoism have strong moral and ethical components. Stoics believe in virtue as the highest good and in treating all humans with dignity and respect, while Daoists believe in living a life that is morally right and in balance with nature and society.
Balance
Both philosophies place great emphasis on balance. The Stoic quest for balance - deeply rooted in the idea that the wheel of Fortune does not turn in one’s favor forever - can be observed in the popular exercise called premeditatio malorum, in which one is asked to ponder all the ways in which adversity might strike in order to strengthen oneself for when it does.
Daoism seeks balance differently, by giving equal attention to the complementary forces of Yin and Yang. This is done at a philosophical level - by recognizing and honoring the dualities of the universe (for example that day - Yang cannot exist without night - Yin), but also on a practical level - for example by resting (Yin) after periods of exertion (Yang).
Difference Between Taoism and Stoicism
Taoism and Stoicism differ in significant ways: they have opposing views on whether understanding the universe is possible, what the best way to pursue virtue is, the role of religion and mysticism in human life, as well as whether we should take an active or a passive stance towards life more broadly.
Let’s examine these differences one by one.
Possibility of Understanding the Universe
From a Stoic perspective, the universe is rational and orderly and is guided by divine providence (“the Logos”), which humans are able to decipher through reason.
In contrast, Daoists see the universe as an ever-changing, dynamic, and mysterious entity. It is governed by the Dao, which lies beyond human comprehension, cannot be described using language, and thus can only be understood intuitively.
Approach to Virtue
In Stoicism, the pursuit of virtue requires constant human effort and the philosophy is inherently prescriptive: it suggests there are certain behaviors and attitudes that individuals should adopt if they wish to be successful in achieving moral excellence.
Daoism, on the other hand, is less prescriptive and more descriptive, as it sees virtuous life as a side-effect of living in harmony with the Dao.
Religion and Mysticism
Stoicism is a purely philosophical school of thought although Stoics believe in God (Nature). Since they argue that divine providence can be understood rationally, Stoic theology is not regarded as a religion in the traditional understanding of the world.
On the other hand, Daoism has both philosophical and religious branches. Philosophical Daoism is represented by texts like the Dao De Jing and Zhuangzi, which focus on how to live in harmony with the Dao. Religious Daoism involves a complex system of rituals, alchemy, deities, and temples, in which the mystical aspect is pervasive.
In other words, Stoicism asks one to seek to understand, while Daoism asks one to believe without questioning.
Active vs Passive Involvement in Life
Perhaps the most striking difference between the two philosophies is the stance they take towards involvement in life. Stoicism encourages active participation in life and society to perform one's duties diligently and virtuously. Daoism, in contrast, is in favor of "Wu Wei" (non-action), prescribing that the only actions one takes be spontaneous and effortless, in accordance with the flow of the Dao.
Stoicism vs Taoism vs Buddhism
Having examined the differences between Stoicism and Taoism, a common question that pops up is how these schools of thought compare with the teachings of Buddhism, perhaps the most popular Eastern spiritual practice.
People frequently confuse them because all three philosophies share themes of acceptance, mindfulness, and pursuing some form of inner peace or enlightenment (called ‘tranquility’ in Stoicism), so practices from one school of thought are often misattributed to the wrong philosophy.
Fundamentally, all these schools of thought attempt to offer a response to the problem of human suffering and the pursuit of happiness or tranquility, albeit in different ways. Stoicism proposes that we can achieve tranquility by focusing on what we can control, namely our own minds and attitudes. Buddhism suggests that we can overcome suffering through the Eightfold Path and attaining enlightenment (Nirvana), while Taoism suggests that harmony and balance with the Tao can lead to a calm and fulfilling life.
Self-development, as well as an emphasis on the individual's inner life are a common focus of all three and they all agree on the importance of accepting reality as it is, including the aspects that may cause us suffering.
Since ethical living is a pillar of all of them, I would argue that whichever you choose to pursue is a matter of personal preference, informed mainly by how much mysticism you are willing to accept as an explanation for your lived experience.
For the maximum dose of rationality, Stoicism is your friend. For a more esoteric perspective, in which you are asked to trust the thinking of the sages without questioning its validity, you may want to look into Daoism or Buddhism. Whatever you ultimately choose, I hope you find what you’re looking for!
If you enjoyed this post or learned something new, you might also like to read about how Stoicism compares to another widespread Asian philosophy. Why not have a look at this post about Stoicism vs. Confucianism next?
