in reply to Re: Tao Perl Ching - The Scripture of the Way of Perl
in thread Tao Perl Ching - The Scripture of the Way of Perl

Which translation is that? I'm somewhat familiar with the Ralph Alan Dale, Stephen Mitchell, and Thomas Cleary translations, but I don't think yours matches any of these. I'd like to know whose translation it is, if you don't mind.

I disagree, though, that Perl is necessarily of Yang nature. A Perl script can be overly balanced toward either Yin or Yang, depending on how it is written, and given applications of Perl to various problems can be Yin or Yang in nature, but Perl itself seems neither Yin nor Yang inherently. For each of the items you listed, presumably as demonstrations of the Yang nature of Perl, a counter-example could also be offered to make a case for the Yin nature of Perl.

Rather than say that Perl is Yang, I think it might be more accurate to say that Perl is of the Tao, just as everything else is, and that it thus embodies and encompasses, and is embodied and encompassed by, both Yin and Yang, as well as embodying and encompassing the balance between them and being embodied and encompassed by it.

print substr("Just another Perl hacker", 0, -2);
 - apotheon
CopyWrite Chad Perrin

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Re^3: Tao Perl Ching - The Scripture of the Way of Perl
by Mago (Parson) on Dec 25, 2004 at 17:38 UTC

    The Perl is Yang !

    The Progammer is Yin !

    The union is Tao (the equilibrium between yang and yin).

    Mago
    mago@rio.pm.org


[reply]

      . . . or one could make a case for the opposite. The programmer is Yang (the acting agent), writing code and exerting will, and Perl is Yin (the acted upon), passive and receptive to the programmer's will. Categorization is not so easy and absolute within the Tao.

      So, anyway: Which translation was that?

      print substr("Just another Perl hacker", 0, -2);
      		 - apotheon
      CopyWrite Chad Perrin

[reply]

        The TAO of Perl

        When Yin reached its climax, it recedes in favor of Yang, then after Yang reached its climax it recedes in favor of Yin. This is the eternal cycle. The dots inside the white and black halves indicate that within each is the seed of the other. Yin cannot exist without Yang and vice versa.

        The ideal state of things in the physical universe, as well as in the world of humans is a state of harmony represented by the balance of Yin and Yang in body and mind.

        The Perl Programmer is a state of harmony.

        Mago
        mago@rio.pm.org


[reply]
Re^4: Tao Perl Ching - The Scripture of the Way of Perl
by gregor42 (Parson) on Jan 20, 2005 at 17:39 UTC

    Which translation is that?

    I believe it's the "Jane English" translation. It's a very popular edition with complimentary brush-art.



    Wait! This isn't a Parachute, this is a Backpack!
[reply]

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