Admission requirements
Admission to this course is restricted to second-year students enrolled in the BA programme Philosophy: Global and Comparative Perspectives.
Description
The inquiries into human nature have played a pivotal role in the development of philosophical discourses on virtue and morality, both in the Eastern and the Western traditions. With a focus on East Asian Philosophy and modern British moral philosophy, this course will examine diverse perspectives on human nature and its interplay with moral philosophy.
We will delve into the Confucian understanding of human nature, as exemplified by Mengzi and Xunzi, in conjunction with the evolution of British moral philosophy from Hobbes and Hutcheson to Hume and Smith.
Through this comparative study of moral theories across cultures, we will comprehend that varying interpretations of human nature have influenced the development of moral theories based on sentiments and virtues.
Course objectives
Students who successfully complete the course will have a good understanding of:
ancient Chinese and modern British perspectives on human nature;
development of 18th century British moral philosophy;
moral theories grounded on sentiments 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 by active participation during class and by written work in the form of exams.
Timetable
The timetables are available through MyTimetable.
Mode of instruction
Lectures;
Tutorials.
Class attendance is required for both lectures and tutorials.
Assessment method
Assessment
Two take home exams with essay questions;
Attendance and participation.
Weighing
The final mark for the course is established by determining the weighted average.
Midterm take home exam with essay questions (45%);
Final take home exam with essay questions (45%);
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%).
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
Van Norden & Ivanhoe, eds., Readings in Classical Chinese Philosophy;
The course syllabus and other readings will be distributed via 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 in the right information bar.
For questions about enrolment, admission, etc, contact the Education Administration Office: Huizinga.
Remarks
Not applicable.