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School of Culture History and Language · ANU College of Asia and the Pacific
This is an introductory course in Chinese philosophy. Drawing on the diverse Chinese thinkers from ancient times, including Confucians, Daoist, Legalists, and more, the course demonstrates that early Chinese philosophical is both interesting in its own right and potentially relevant to contemporary philosophical problems. Students will be introduced to some of the major Chinese philosophical ideas and concepts, and with a focus on learning to accurately and critically apply these ideas in real-world contexts. An understanding of the foundations of Chinese thought may also help us rethink some of the radically different assumptions held by Western intellectual traditions. It also provides background knowledge crucial to an informed understanding of developments in modern and contemporary China.
Weekly quizzes x 12 weighted equally
Learning outcomes 1, 2, 3
Weekly reflective writing x 12 weighted equally
Learning outcomes 1, 2, 3, 4
Oral assessment and reflection, co-weighted
Learning outcomes 4, 5
Research proposal and meeting, co-weighted
Learning outcomes 1, 2, 3, 5
In-person final exam, two hours
Learning outcomes 1, 2, 3, 5
Each week students attend a two hour mixed lecture/discussion class which also includes a weekly in-class reading quiz at some point during the class-time. They also attend a one-hour tutorial, during the last 5-10 minutes of which they complete a brief hand-written reflective writing assignment. Students are responsible for 2-3 hours worth of reading and preparation time per week on a regular basis. The oral assessment in week 4 and research proposal and meeting in week 8 require some additional out of class research and preparation, approximately 2-5 additional hours in each case. Students might also spend an additional 2-5 hours preparing for the final exam. The total workload for the course would then range between 70-90 hours total, including 36 total hours of class-time, 24-36 total hours of regular reading/preparation, and 6-15 hours of additional research or preparation time for the oral assessment, research presentation, and final exam.
An anthology of readings compiled by the course lecturer. Supplementary materials may be added and students will also be provided with a bibliography of further useful sources. Readings will be available in English and (where possible) classical Chinese. Preliminary Reading This information will be provided on the LMS.