Introduction to Classical Chinese Philosophy

Catalog description

Ancient China was a cauldron for much philosophical innovations and sophistications. In this course, we will introduce you to some of the major schools of philosophical thought in this period, with a focus on the ethical thought. In particular, we will work through the ethical debates between the Confucian, the Mohist, the Daoist, and the Legalist. We will read classical texts such as the Analects of Confucius, Mengzi, Xunzi, Mozi, Zhuangzi, Laozi, Hanfeizi, supplemented by secondary scholarships on these texts. The questions we will ask include: What is the good person? What is “etiquette”, and what is its relation to morality? Is the human nature inherently good or evil?