 2014 - 2015 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 0687-2298-01 | Human Nature in Chinese Philosophy | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| FACULTY OF HUMANITIES | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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University credit hours: 4.0
Course description
Human Nature in Chinese Philosophy?
Confucius said that human beings are equal by nature, only education differentiates among them. In his claim he did not explain and interpret, what this nature, which is common to all, amounts to. Therefore, two of his successors followed his doctrine in opposing ways: Mengzi claimed that human nature is good, while Xunzi saw it as evil.
In the proseminar we will examine issues related to human nature in ancient Chinese philosophy: Is nature originally good? Is it bad? Is it both? Or neither? And perhaps we cannot presuppose that all humans share one distinct nature? We will focus on the writings of Confucius, Mengzi, Zhuangzi, and Xunzi, and on some modern interpreters of their thought.
Requirements: Active participation, reading of primary and secondary sources, preparation of short weekly papers, presentation in class, final paper.
Confucius said that human beings are equal by nature, only education differentiates among them. In his claim he did not explain and interpret, what this nature, which is common to all, amounts to. Therefore, two of his successors followed his doctrine in opposing ways: Mengzi claimed that human nature is good, while Xunzi saw it as evil.
In the proseminar we will examine issues related to human nature in ancient Chinese philosophy: Is nature originally good? Is it bad? Is it both? Or neither? And perhaps we cannot presuppose that all humans share one distinct nature? We will focus on the writings of Confucius, Mengzi, Zhuangzi, and Xunzi, and on some modern interpreters of their thought.
Requirements: Active participation, reading of primary and secondary sources, preparation of short weekly papers, presentation in class, final paper.