The word Daoism (or Taoism) was coined in the early nineteenth century from the Chinese expression "dao jiao teachings" (tao), which encompasses both the intellectual activities and historical religious movements that shaped the various and changing meanings of the term Dao (or Tao), meaning, literally, "the Way." Modern scholars have claimed that the term specifically refers to Daoist schools or Daoist sects, though some European Daoism scholars contend that this distinction is unnecessary or even misleading. In contemporary academic circles the words religion and philosophy are inevitably applied to Chinese traditions; one must remember, however, that in the Chinese context these two words diverge from their Western usages. Nevertheless, Daoism has suggestive importance as a perspective on science, technology, and ethics.

Daoist philosophy is attributed to Laozi, who, according to the ancient and authoritative Records of History, is believed to have been an elder contemporary of...