Course Description
An in-depth study of the seminal texts of Chinese philosophy, presenting a selection from the classical traditions of Confucianism, Mohism, Daoism, Legalism, and other medieval and contemporary sources.
Additional Requirements for Graduate Students:
Graduate students will be required to fulfill the following
additional requirements of the course: 1. Two critical
responses, or equivalent exercises, related to a selection of
philosophical themes and problems discussed during the semester.
These will be in written form, to be shared with all members
during an in-class presentation and discussion; 2. An annotated
bibliography, literature review, or equivalent exercise, in
which graduate students will present a critical overview of the
secondary scholarship on a set of themes and problems related to
classical Chinese philosophy studied during the semester; 3. A
final research paper, in addition to the other requirements of
the course, that will meet the standards of graduate-level
scholarship.
Athena Title
Chinese Philosophy
Prerequisite
Any 3000-level PHIL course or permission of department
Semester Course Offered
Offered fall
Grading System
A - F (Traditional)
Course Objectives
1. Students will develop a nuanced appreciation and understanding of the classical Chinese philosophical canon and learn a vocabulary of concepts and an index of problems specific to the traditions studied. 2. Students will develop key strengths in exegetical and critical writing, undertaking assignments, including critical response papers, annotated bibliographies, literature reviews, and other exercises related to conducting philosophical research. 3. Students will undertake a detailed and comprehensive research plan in which they will identify a problem(s), develop a research question and analytic framework, conduct literature reviews, present their findings during class meetings, and submit a final research paper. 4. Students will cultivate a more diverse intellectual voice of their own, acquiring an important asset, in this regard, with their knowledge of a major philosophical tradition outside of the history of western philosophy. 5. Students will learn to think comparatively, occasionally interpreting Chinese traditions of philosophy with reference to the dominant frameworks of western philosophy.
Topical Outline
In this course, students will undertake an in-depth study of the philosophical heritage of classical China and later trends in Chinese philosophy. Students will analyze a range of problems that define the philosophical canon of classical and contemporary Chinese philosophy - problems that cover topics including, among other themes, those of creation, the nature of the self, the relation between the self/community and the natural world, the nature of language, and the status of human knowledge. In addition to developing in students a nuanced understanding of the various philosophical debates that distinguish the classical traditions of Chinese philosophy, the course will also invite students to engage in comparative analyses of Chinese and Western philosophical traditions. The texts chosen for this course will include a number of the classics of Chinese culture and will be representative of the major philosophical traditions of Confucianism, Mohism, Daoism, Legalism, and other miscellaneous schools. Students will discuss philosophical themes articulated in the founding texts of the Analects and the Daodejing, and they will trace the development of these ideas in later works representative of Confucian, Mohist and Daoist thought. These will include, among other texts, Mencius, Xunzi, Mozi, and Zhuangzi. A selection of secondary readings will, in addition, familiarize students with some of the important contemporary debates that are shaping the field of Chinese philosophy.
Syllabus