HU 4331 - Introduction to Eastern Philosophy

3 lecture hours 0 lab hours 3 credits

Course Description
To study Eastern philosophical thought involves opening one’s perspective to the ways that Eastern thinkers address the same types of ethical dilemmas as Western philosophers: questions about the nature of reality, what counts as knowledge, the nature of suffering, and so on. Eastern philosophy often appears contradictory and intentionally opaque, especially in Buddhism and Taoism, where poetic and narrative writing inspire a deeper depth of understanding. The study of Eastern philosophy does not solely take place for its poetic or other aesthetic values, but to comprehend propositions and to assess them in a process of developing coherent and defensible criticisms and positions. Introduction to Eastern Philosophy focuses on the arguments either explicit or implicit in Eastern philosophical texts and emphasizes careful reading of these texts. Careful reading involves constructing interpretations or expositions of the texts, followed by systematic comparisons between them in order to disclose the meaning(s) of the works studied. It also involves developing criticisms of the four philosophical traditions. (prereq: junior standing)

Course Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of this course, the student will be able to:

Describe the significant features of the metaphysical, epistemological, and ethical theories discussed in or illustrated by the texts
Explain how those theories can be justified
Identify the ethical principles that the central Eastern philosophers argue should guide action and to examine those principles in light of the different views encountered in the course
Explain how particular actions and situations would be judged by those who hold to the principles and theories that are discussed
Identify the various forms of arguments used by the different philosophers
Critically assess each philosopher’s reasoning and position
Recognize how ways of formulating ideas and arguments affect or influence our understanding or acceptance of ideas
Identify problems associated with interpretation by comparing and critically assessing various interpretations

Prerequisites by Topic

None

Course Topics

Introduction to Eastern philosophy
The poetic and aesthetic values of Eastern philosophy
The opaque nature of Eastern Philosophy
How to read Eastern philosophical texts
Literary criticism and Eastern philosophical texts
Epistemologies
Metaphysics
Hinduism
Taoism
Confucianism
The second stage of Confucianism
Buddhism
Zen Buddhism and 20^th century Zen Buddhism

Coordinator
Dr. David Howell

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HU 4331 - Introduction to Eastern Philosophy