Topic: Chinese Philosophy

This course will focus on Chinese philosophical texts roughly from
the period 600 BCE -200 BCE.  Rather than considering our subjects
simply as dead Chinese guys, we'll be trying to understand them both
in the context in which they taught, and as thinkers with something
to contribute to contemporary philosophical debates.

The topics we will discuss include human nature, skill knowledge,
skepticism, mysticism, and political power.  The Chinese texts that
we'll be focusing on include the Analects of Confucius, the Mencius,
the Xunzi, and the Zhuangzi, and we will be doing some short
readings from the Western canon as well, primarily for comparative
purposes.

No knowledge of philosophy or Chinese history is presupposed for
this course.  In-class discussions will be designed to make the
material accessible, but students will be expected to be prepared to
participate in debate and discussion of the day’s readings.

Please feel free to contact me with any questions: blakes@indiana.edu