Academic Research Booklet

EPQ ONLY

Introduction To get top marks for the introduction you must ensure you cover all ten points, use the example below as a guide. Notice how the response to each prompt is short - this

framework ensures that every sentence is necessary and meaningful. Your introduction should be no more than 500 words, the example given on these pages is 383 words. Question: To what extent does wisdom imply acting in accordance with the order of nature, according to the Tao Te Ching? 1. Introduce the topic The concept of wisdom has been explored across many philosophical traditions as a guide for how humans should think and act. In Chinese philosophy, wisdom is often connected to harmony, balance, and living in alignment with broader forces beyond the individual. 2. Explain the significance of the topic Understanding how wisdom is defined in philosophical texts is significant because it shapes views on ethics, leadership, and personal conduct. Eastern philosophical traditions, in particular, offer alternative perspectives to Western ideas of control, rational mastery, and progress, which makes them valuable areas of study. 3. Provide necessary background / context One of the most influential works in Chinese philosophy is the Tao Te Ching, traditionally attributed to Laozi. The text forms the foundation of Taoism and presents ideas about the Tao (often translated as “the Way”), which is understood as the underlying order or natural process of the universe. 4. Narrow the focus Rather than offering practical instructions or rigid rules, the Tao Te Ching uses short, poetic passages to express its ideas. A recurring theme within the text is the suggestion that human suffering and disorder arise when people act against the natural flow of the Tao.