Ancient CHN Hist and Phil

Catalog description

This course introduces the foundations of Chinese thought with a focus on the Warring States period (475-221 B.C.E.), a period in which schools of thought like Confucianism, Mohism, and Daoism originally flourished. Students will read selections from the most famous classical Chinese philosophy texts in English translation. The course emphasizes close reading of texts, with a view to understanding their key concepts and issues, as well as forms of argumentation. In so doing, students will think through the key questions that animated intense debate between key schools of philosophy, and examine how these key debates have influenced the development of Chinese culture right through to the present day. 001319