ABSTRACT
I explore how it is possible for Zhuang Zi’s Daoist naturalism to constructively engage with Quine’s naturalized epistemology for the sake of jointly contributing to our understanding and treatment of a range of epistemological issues in a broad naturalist framework. I first identify and specify the structures of these two seemingly competing types of naturalism, along with some of their joint concerns, especially in view of their metaphysical foundations and underlying methodological strategies. I then identify grounds and norms in Quine’s approach that are also common to other types of naturalism and explain how Quine’s approach can contribute in this connection; in so doing, I also explain how two philosophically interesting points in Quine’s account might also bring about some tensions at certain levels in Quine’s account but also point to promising directions in which to carry out cross-tradition engagement between Quine’s and Zhuang Zi’s distinct naturalist approaches to a range of epistemological issues. Then I examine and explain how Zhuang Zi’s naturalist approach can engage with Quine while making his constructive contributions in several connections for the sake of a more complete epistemological account in a broader naturalist outlook.
