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Among the philosophies from the Orient is one that espouses education through observation, specifically observation of nature. Where other philosophies from the Orient espouse either meditation, removing oneself from the environment and closing off what the sense perceive, or seeking a balance between the attention to self needed for self preservation and cohesiveness and concern for others in the community, Taoism states that nature itself is the teacher and that each man must attend to his lessons alone. Taoism has an obscure beginning, as it was not brought to the attention of man by the normal means, by the hand of a great and popular philosopher. Taoism developed as a result of discussion among men, and was passed through many generations as a spoken work long before being put into print. Thus there is no author, and this was by intent. Without an author, there is less of a target, so the philosophy is less subject to attack by those who would control the minds of men. Thus the Tao philosophy has remained pure, simple statements passed along by so many routes that the message has not become corrupt.