Talk:Tao Te Ching/TaoTehChingTalk

This text used to be at the title "TaoTehChingTalk". Graham 87 05:35, 15 March 2009 (UTC)

COMMENT: The historical existance of Lao Tzu in unconfirmed according to the Encyclopaedia Britannica. What is your source for the statement that the existence of Lao Tzu is historically confirmed? That the Tao Teh Ching is not the work of one man is generally accepted.

I'd suggest you simply make the change that you believe is necessary; this will save time, and if the author doesn't like it, he can always change it back (and then you could discuss the problem). Just my suggestion. -- Larry Sanger

COMMENT: There is no justification for any such categorical statement. To take but the matter of Ssu-ma Ch'ien, I quote:

Even the 'biography of Lao Tzu' which may be found

in the 'Historical Records' (Shih-chi) of Ssu-ma Ch'ien (second

century B.C.) is not without its inconsistencies. This record

describes Lao Tzu as having been an archivist of the Court of

Chou, and further states that he is said to have

personally instructed Kung Fu Tzu (Confucius). (Which is

inconsistent with other supposed information about Lao Tzu.)

Indeed, the author of the 'Historical Records' himself expresses doubt about the authenticity of the available information. Thus, although you may of course personally hold the opinion that Lao Tzu existed and the Tao Te Ching is the work of one man, it is altogether inappropriate to present these views as accepted fact.