Taoist Epistemological System: An Analysis

The aim of this paper is to provide a systematic picture of Taoist epistemology. The research suggests that, by analyzing the concise contents of the Taoist texts, an epistemic system can be found in which the pillars of knowledge are unity. Understanding is possible and the certain recognition in the process of dissolution of individuality is achieved. Science is a light that realizes knowledge, but the absolute truth is darkness and there is no possibility of knowing it. In Taoist tradition, intuition and insight have a special place by which one can perceives the dynamic, variable and fluid existence. For them, knowledge is experiential and it realizes by eliminating the epistemic barriers such as rationalism, language, attention to the material self, the world itself and personal emotions. The criterion for the truth of knowledge is its agreement with the essence of the universe.