Start / The Master of Demon Gorge: A Chinese History Podcast / A white horse is not a horse it might be a stag

The Master of Demon Gorge: A Chinese History Podcast

A White Horse Is Not a Horse; It Might Be a Stag

20 min • 7 december 2021

Current events remind me of two stories from ancient China.

First, a philosophical argument from an ancient Chinese equivalent of a Sophist from the Warring States Era reasoning that "a white horse is not a horse."

Second, a notorious incident from the Qin Dynasty during which a chancellor displayed his total power by demanding others to pretend that a stag was in fact a horse.

Why does the news make me think of these stories? That's up to you.

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A White Horse Is Not a Horse; It Might Be a Stag

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