The Limit of the Skill Paradigm: A Critique on Chris Fraser’s Ethics of Dao and De

Chris Fraser’s interpretation of the Zhuangzi’s 莊子 ethics emphasizes the importance of skill stories. He argues that eudaimonism in the Zhuangzi centers around the exercise of de 德 rather than moral virtue and presents a conception of personal flourishing as “wandering.” A person living a flourishing life is one who can use their de to skillfully respond to changing circumstances and follow the dao道. Fraser’s interpretation suggests that interpersonal conduct is a “field of skill” and that the question of how to treat others is not fundamentally different from questions about how to undertake any course of activity.