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Comparative Philosophy II: Topics

Vak
2024-2025

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 written exams with essay questions;

  • Attendance and participation.

Weighing

The final mark for the course is established by determining the weighted average.

  • Midterm exam with essay questions (45%);

  • Final 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.