| Unit name | Classical Chinese Philosophy |
|---|---|
| Unit code | PHIL20061 |
| Credit points | 20 |
| Level of study | I/5 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 1 (weeks 1 - 12) |
| Unit director | Dr. Tho |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Units you must take before you take this one (pre-requisite units) |
None |
| Units you must take alongside this one (co-requisite units) |
None |
| Units you may not take alongside this one |
None |
| School/department | Department of Philosophy |
| Faculty | Faculty of Arts |
This unit is designed to introduce level I/5 students to Classical Chinese philosophy in the age of the “Hundred Schools of Thought” (诸子百家) that flourished from the 6th to the 3rd century BCE. Against the caricature of “timeless Eastern wisdom”, the unit will introduce this period of Chinese philosophy as having developed as systematic responses to concrete intellectual, social, and political problems in a particular historical period. The unit will present material both historically and thematically, making use of archaeology, philology, art history, and contemporary philosophical debates. Among the schools, we shall examine the four main ones (Confucianism, Daoism, Legalism, Mohism) by examination and contextualizing their central texts.
The course is a survey and aims to immerse students in the intellectual world of the “Hundred Schools” that served as an important source of Chinese intellectual development until the current day.
An overview of content
This unit is designed to introduce level I/5 students to Classical Chinese philosophy in the age of the “Hundred Schools of Thought” (诸子百家) that flourished from the 6th to the 3rd century BCE. Against the caricature of “timeless wisdom” usually attributed to so-called “Eastern thought”, the unit will introduce this period of Chinese philosophy as having developed as systematic, pragmatic, and theoretical responses to concrete intellectual, social and political problems in a particular historical period. The unit will present material both historically and thematically. Among the schools, we shall examine the four main ones (Confucianism, Daoism, Legalism, Mohism) by examination and contextualizing their central texts.
We will examine four crucial questions for these thinkers:
The course is a survey and aims to immerse students in the intellectual world of the “Hundred Schools” that served as an important paradigm of Chinese intellectual development until the current day.
How will students, personally, be different as a result of the unit
The unit will allow students to be introduced to the mutually incompatible claims among the schools and master the basic aims, motivations and context of Classical Chinese intellectual culture and its stakes.
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the unit students will be able to:
1. Outline key schools of thought in classical Chinese philosophy and explain their role in the intellectual roots of Chinese society
2. Construct philosophical arguments with a sophistication appropriate to level I/5.
3. Interpret historical philosophical texts with a sophistication appropriate to level I/5, including the use of contextual and comparative methodologies.
4. Work collaboratively with others to analyse philosophical ideas, and work together as a group to produce a presentation.
Lectures, small group work, individual exercises, seminars and virtual learning environment.
Tasks which help you learn and prepare you for summative tasks (formative):
None
Tasks which count towards your unit mark (summative):
Group Presentation (10%) [ILOs 1, 2, 4]
Individual Reflective Report (1000 words) (10%) [ILOs 1, 3 ,4]
Essay (3000 words) (80%) [ILOs 1-3]
When assessment does not go to plan
When required by the Board of Examiners, you will normally complete reassessments in the same formats as those outlined above. However, the Board reserves the right to modify the form or number of reassessments required. Details of reassessments are normally confirmed by the School shortly after the notification of your results at the end of the academic year.
If this unit has a Resource List, you will normally find a link to it in the Blackboard area for the unit. Sometimes there will be a separate link for each weekly topic.
If you are unable to access a list through Blackboard, you can also find it via the Resource Lists homepage. Search for the list by the unit name or code (e.g. PHIL20061).
How much time the unit requires
Each credit equates to 10 hours of total student input. For example a 20 credit unit will take you 200 hours
of study to complete. Your total learning time is made up of contact time, directed learning tasks,
independent learning and assessment activity.
See the University Workload statement relating to this unit for more information.
Assessment
The assessment methods listed in this unit specification are designed to enable students to demonstrate the named learning outcomes (LOs). Where a disability prevents a student from undertaking a specific method of assessment, schools will make reasonable adjustments to support a student to demonstrate the LO by an alternative method or with additional resources.
The Board of Examiners will consider all cases where students have failed or not completed the assessments required for credit.
The Board considers each student's outcomes across all the units which contribute to each year's programme of study. For appropriate assessments, if you have self-certificated your absence, you will normally be required to complete it the next time it runs (for assessments at the end of TB1 and TB2 this is usually in the next re-assessment period).
The Board of Examiners will take into account any exceptional circumstances and operates
within the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.
