Admission requirements
Admission to this course is restricted to second-year students enrolled in the BA programme Philosophy: Global and Comparative Perspectives.
Description
Does human nature exist? If so, what is human nature? The inquiry into human nature has played a pivotal role in the development of philosophical theories on virtue and morality, both in the East and the West.
With a specific focus on East Asian Philosophy and eighteenth-century British moral philosophy, this course will examine diverse perspectives on human nature and its relationship with moral philosophy. We will delve into the Confucian understanding of human nature, as exemplified by Mengzi’s theory of the goodness of human nature, in conjunction with the evolution of British moral philosophy from Thomas Hobbes to David Hume and Adam Smith. Through this comparative examination of human nature and moral theories across cultures, we will comprehend that varying interpretations of human nature influence the development of moral theories based on interests and virtues.
Course objectives
Students who successfully complete the course will have a good understanding of:
Ancient Confucian and early modern British perspectives on human nature;
Neo-Confucian understanding of human nature in China, Japan, and Korea;
development of 18th century British moral philosophy;
moral theories grounded on interests and virtues in the East and the West.
Students who successfully complete the course will be able to:
formulate critical responses to the philosophical texts and ideas in a cross-cultural context;
critically analyze notions and arguments presented in primary and secondary resources;
interact with philosophical ideas in a cross-cultural context, both in active participation during class, and in written work in the form of exams and reading responses.
Timetable
The timetables are available through MyTimetable.
Mode of instruction
Lectures (2 hours per week)
Tutorials (2 hours per week)
Class attendance is required for both lectures and tutorials.
Assessment method
Assessment
Two written exams with several essay questions
Attendance and Participation
Weighing
Midterm written exam with essay questions: 40%
Final written exam with essay questions: 50%
Attendance and Participation: 10%
Resit
The resit consists of a written exam, covering the entirety of the course material. The mark for the resit will replace all previously earned marks for partial exams (90%). The grade for the weekly reading responses remains in place. Satisfactory completion of the weekly reading responses is a prerequisite for taking the resit.
Inspection and feedback
How and when an exam review will take place will be disclosed together with the publication of the exam results at the latest. If a student requests a review within 30 days after publication of the exam results, an exam review will have to be organized.
Reading list
The reading list will be posted on Brightspace.
Registration
Enrolment through MyStudyMap is mandatory.
General information about course and exam enrolment is available on the website
Contact
For substantive questions, contact the lecturer listed at the right hand side of the page.
For questions about enrolment, admission, etc., contact the Education Administration Office: Huizinga
Remarks
Not applicable.