East Asian · macro

Philosophical Daoism

The Dao is the way things go, not a being who arranges them — so the move is to stop interfering and act in accord with it. Almost no ritual, almost no authority, and a naturalism that arrives at reverence rather than at disenchantment.

What makes it unusual

The axes on which this tradition sits furthest from the middle of the matrix — which is to say, the positions that actually distinguish it.

A2 Personhoodimpersonal principle or orderFurther toward "impersonal principle or order" than most traditions in the matrix.
C1 Survival of the selfleaning ends at deathFurther toward "ends at death" than most traditions in the matrix.
D2 Centrality of ritualleaning optional or absentFurther toward "optional or absent" than most traditions in the matrix.
E2 Origin of the cosmosbeginningless or naturalFurther toward "beginningless or natural" than most traditions in the matrix.

All seventeen positions

Each cell carries a centre, a dispersion — how much internal variation the tradition genuinely tolerates — and the source the position rests on. Disagree with one? Say so; corrections are public and recorded.

The same seventeen values as a single shape, read clockwise from A1 at the top. The outline is where the tradition sits; the wider band around it is the variation it genuinely tolerates, so a tight outline is a tight tradition.

position
tolerated variation

A · The divine

Axis	Position	Value	±σ
A1 Divine realitynothing beyond the natural → a divine reality certainly exists	between nothing beyond the natural and a divine reality certainly existsDaodejing and Zhuangzi	0.55	0.22
A2 Personhoodimpersonal principle or order → a personal being one can address	impersonal principle or orderDaodejing and Zhuangzi	0.05	0.05
A3 Pluralitystrictly one → many powers and spirits	leaning strictly oneDaodejing and Zhuangzi	0.30	0.16
A4 Locuswholly beyond the world → fully present within it	fully present within itDaodejing and Zhuangzi	0.95	0.04

B · Knowledge and authority

Axis	Position	Value	±σ
B1 Source of truthrevealed and fixed → reason and direct experience	leaning reason and direct experienceDaodejing and Zhuangzi	0.82	0.12
B2 Reading of sacred textliteral and binding → metaphorical, or no text at all	leaning metaphorical, or no text at allDaodejing and Zhuangzi	0.75	0.13
B3 Institutional authorityclergy and tradition decide → individual conscience decides	leaning individual conscience decidesDaodejing and Zhuangzi	0.82	0.10

C · Self and destiny

Axis	Position	Value	±σ
C1 Survival of the selfends at death → continues in some form	leaning ends at deathDaodejing and Zhuangzi	0.25	0.20
C2 Shape of timeone life, then judgment → cyclical return	leaning cyclical returnDaodejing and Zhuangzi	0.70	0.18
C3 The human conditionfallen and in need of rescue → ignorant but fundamentally sound	ignorant but fundamentally soundDaodejing and Zhuangzi	0.85	0.10

D · Practice

Axis	Position	Value	±σ
D1 Mechanism of the ultimate goodgiven as grace → achieved by effort or insight	leaning achieved by effort or insightDaodejing and Zhuangzi	0.70	0.18
D2 Centrality of ritualessential and prescribed → optional or absent	leaning optional or absentDaodejing and Zhuangzi	0.82	0.12
D3 The bodyto be disciplined → to be celebrated	between to be disciplined and to be celebratedDaodejing and Zhuangzi	0.58	0.16

E · World and others

Axis	Position	Value	±σ
E1 Exclusivityone true path → many valid paths	leaning many valid pathsDaodejing and Zhuangzi	0.82	0.10
E2 Origin of the cosmosan intentional act → beginningless or natural	beginningless or naturalDaodejing and Zhuangzi	0.88	0.08
E3 Locus of belonginga people, inherited → an individual choice	leaning an individual choiceDaodejing and Zhuangzi	0.82	0.10
E4 Standing of naturecreation, given for use → animate and itself sacred	animate and itself sacredDaodejing and Zhuangzi	0.88	0.08

Compared with

Where do you sit?

The questionnaire places your own answers on these same seventeen axes and reports how close you are to this tradition and to 64 others. Take it — eight to fourteen questions, nothing transmitted.