Chinese Philosophy Syllabus

Chinese Philosophy Syllabus This Course is for Three Credits. Instructor Contact Information: I can be reached by email at bix@umn.edu and will usually respond to messages sent during the day within an hour or two. The course will meet in Blegen Hall Room 115, Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, 11:15 am – 12:05 pm, Required Text Kurtis Hagen and Steven Coutinho (eds. and trans.), Philosophers of the Warring States: A Sourcebook of Chinese Philosophy (Broadview Press, 2018) Office Hours I will hold office hours Tuesdays, 11:00 am – 1:00 pm, in my Law School office, Mondale Hall Room N212. Additionally, you also catch me at my office at other times, or email me with questions, or to set up an in-person or Zoom meeting. COVID Related Matters: Masks covering the nose and mouth must be worn at all times, except for brief moments needed to drink water or other beverages. No eating during class-time. Weather and Zoom In cases of extreme weather, the teaching on an affected day may be done remotely, by Zoom. When this occurs, students will be notified by email (using the email addresses on file with the Registrar), Zoom links will be provided, and recordings of the Zoom classes will be made available on the course’s Canvas site Assessment The course grade will be based on two paper assignments, and a final exam (open-book, essay). The papers will each be 30% of the course grade; the final exam will be 40% of the course grade. Required Papers You are required to write two papers. Each paper should be 4-6 pages (double-spaced, with reasonable font size and margins). List of possible topics will be distributed later. The first paper will be due on February 25. The second paper will be due on Thursday, March 25. These are meant to be analysis and advocacy papers, not research papers. No additional research is required or expected (though if you do outside reading and use the facts or arguments you find, you must, of course, document your source(s)).  Class Assignments Readings are from Philosophers of the Warring States (PWS) unless otherwise indicated. Jan. 19 Introduction (no reading assignment) Jan. 21 Historical and Cultural Context Yuri Pines, “The Legacy of the Warring States,” from Envisioning Eternal Empire (University of Hawai’i Press, 2009), 219-222 available at https://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctt6wqvjg.14 Jan. 24 Da Xue: “Expansive Learning” PWS 59-65 Jan. 26 Confucius PWS 67-80 Jan. 28 Confucius, cont. PWS 82-92 Jan. 31 Confucius, cont. PWS 92-109 Feb. 2 Confucius, cont. May Sim, “Why Confucius’ Ethics is a Virtue Ethics,” in Lorraine Besser & Michael Slote (eds.), The Routledge Companion to Virtue Ethics (Routledge, 2005), available from the library https://www.taylorfrancis.com/books/edit/10.4324/9780203071755/routledge- companion-virtue-ethics-lorraine-besser-michael-slote Feb. 4 Confucius, cont. Chengyang Li, “The Confucian Concept of Jen and the Feminist Ethics of Care: A Comparative Study,” Hypatia, vol. 9, pp. 70-89 (1994) available from JSTOR Feb. 7 Michael Puett on Ritual Michael Puett, “Ritual and Ritual Obligations: Perspectives on Normativity from Classical China,” Journal of Value Inquiry, vol. 49, pp. 543–550 (2015) available from the library, https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007%2Fs10790-015-9524-7.pdf Feb. 9 Lao Zi PWS 277-291 Feb. 11 Lao Zi, cont. PWS 291-307 Feb. 14 Lao Zi, cont. PWS 307-328 Feb. 16 Lao Zi, cont. Karyn Lai, “Ziran and Wuwei in the Daodejing: An Ethical Assessment,” Dao, vol. 6, pp. 325–337 (2007), available from the library, https://link-springer-com.ezp2.lib.umn.edu/content/pdf/10.1007/s11712-007-9019-8.pdf  Feb. 18 Lao Zi, cont. Ann A. Pang-White, “Daoist CI 慈 , Feminist Ethics of Care, and the Dilemma of Nature,” Journal of Chinese Philosophy, vol. 43, pp. 275-294 (2016), available from the library, https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/1540-6253.12252 Feb. 21 Mohism PWS 249-262 Feb. 23 Mohism, cont. PWS 262-274 Feb. 25 Mohism, cont. Owen Flanagan, “Moral Contagion and Logical Persuasion in the Mozi,” Journal of Chinese Philosophy, vol. 38, pp. 473–491 (2008) available from library, https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/j.1540-6253.2008.00492.x Feb. 28 Mencius PWS 113-125 Mar. 2 Mencius, cont. PWS 125-136 Mar. 4 Mencius, cont. PWS 136-152 [Mar. 7-11 Spring Break] Mar. 14 Mencius, cont. Jing Iris Hu, “Moral Motivation in Mencius—When a Child Falls into a Well,” Philosophy Compass, 2019-08, vol. 14(8), available from the library, (Part 2: “Moral Motivation and Moral Cultivation in Mencius”) Mar. 16 Mencius, cont. Justin Tiwald, “A Right of Rebellion in the Mengzi?,” Dao, vol. 7, pp. 269–282 (2008), available from the library, https://link-springer-com.ezp2.lib.umn.edu/content/pdf/10.1007/s11712-008-9071-z.pdf Mar. 18 Zhuang Zi PWS 329-344 Mar. 21 Zhuang Zi, cont. PWS 344-359 Mar. 23 Zhuang Zi, cont. PWS 360-378 Mar. 25 Zhuang Zi, cont. PWS 379-396 Mar. 28 Zhuang Zi, cont. PWS 397-410 Mar. 30 Zhuang Zi, cont. David B. Wong, “Zhuangzi and the Obsession with Being Right,” History of Philosophy Quarterly, vol. 22, pp. 91-107 (2005), available through JSTOR Apr. 1 Zhuang Zi, cont. Hans-Georg Möller, “Zhuangzi's ‘Dream of the Butterfly’: A Daoist Interpretation,” Philosophy East and West, vol. 49 pp. 439-450 (1999), available from JSTOR Apr. 4 Edward Slingerland on “Wu Wei” Edward Slingerland, “Effortless Action: The Chinese Spiritual Ideal of Wu-wei,” Journal of the American Academy of Religion, vol. 68, pp. 293-327 (2000), available from JSTOR Apr. 6 Xun Zi PWS 155-177 Apr. 8 Xun Zi, cont. PWS 177-197 Apr. 11 Xun Zi, cont. PWS 197-213 Apr. 13 Xun Zi, cont. PWS 214-231 Apr 15 Xun Zi, cont. Paul R. Goldin, “Xunzi and Early Han Philosophy,” Harvard Journal of Asiatic Studies, vol. 67, pp. 135-166 (2007) Apr. 18 Xun Zi, cont. Eric Hutton, “Xunzi and Virtue Ethics,” in Lorraine Besser & Michael Slote (eds.), The Routledge Companion to Virtue Ethics (Routledge, 2005), available from the library https://www.taylorfrancis.com/books/edit/10.4324/9780203071755/routledge- companion-virtue-ethics-lorraine-besser-michael-slote Apr. 20 Zhong Yong: “Excellence of the Ordinary” PWS 235-245 Apr. 22 Lord Shang Yuri Pines, “Shang Yang and His Times,” in The Book of Lord Shang (Columbia University Press, 2017), pp. 7-24, available from JSTOR Apr. 25 Lord Shang, cont. Markus Fischer, “The Book of Lord Shang Compared with Machiavelli and Hobbes,” Dao, vol. 11, pp. 201–221 (2012), available from the library, https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s11712-012-9269-y.pdf Apr. 27 Han Fei PWS 413-435 Apr. 29 Han Fei, cont. Tongdong Bai, “Han Fei Zi: First Modern Political Philosopher?” Journal of Chinese Philosophy, vol. 38, pp. 4–13 (2011) available from the library May 2 Review Session Tues., May 10, 1:30 – 3:30 pm Final Examination Instructional Time & Student Effort Instructional time per course credit is a consistent minimum expectation set by the University for the amount of effort your instructor must spend engaging directly with you in your courses. For this 3-credit course, you will spend approximately 450 minutes per week on class activities. I will spend at least 150 minutes per week engaging you with lectures with additional availability of at least 180 minutes through weekly (online) office hours (I will also be available generally for questions and discussion beyond those set office hours). In addition to these interactions with me, you will also commit to about 300 minutes per week reading assigned materials and reflecting upon them, and preparing and writing assigned papers. This 300 minutes of effort should be adequate in order to earn a C (achievement that meets course requirements in every respect) in the course. To earn an A, you should expect to spend more than 300 minutes per week on your independent work. Important Policy Reminders, References, and Resources Student Conduct Code: As a student at the University you are expected to adhere to Board of Regents Policy: Student Conduct Code. To review the Student Conduct Code, please see: https://regents.umn.edu/sites/regents.umn.edu/files/2019-09/policy_student_conduct_code.pdf Among the topics covered in the Student Conduct Code is Academic Dishonesty You are expected to do your own academic work and cite sources as necessary. Failing to do so is scholastic dishonesty. Scholastic dishonesty means plagiarizing; cheating on assignments or examinations; engaging in unauthorized collaboration on academic work; taking, acquiring, or using test materials without faculty permission; submitting false or incomplete records of academic achievement; acting alone or in cooperation with another to falsify records or to obtain dishonestly grades, honors, awards, or professional endorsement; altering, forging, or misusing a University academic record; or fabricating or falsifying data, research procedures, or data analysis. (cont.) The Office for Community Standards has compiled a useful list of Frequently Asked Questions pertaining to scholastic dishonesty: https://communitystandards.umn.edu/avoid-violations/avoiding-scholastic-dishonesty Makeup Work for Legitimate Absences: https://policy.umn.edu/education/makeupwork Appropriate Student Use of Class Notes and Courts Materials: discussed at https://policy.umn.edu/education/studentresp University Grading Scales: https://policy.umn.edu/education/gradingtranscripts Sexual Harassment, Sexual Assault, Stalking and Relationship Violence: https://regents.umn.edu/sites/regents.umn.edu/files/2019-09/policy_sexual_harassment_sexual_assault_stalking_and_relationship_violence.pdf Equity, Diversity, Equal Opportunity, and Affirmative Action: https://regents.umn.edu/sites/regents.umn.edu/files/2019-09/policy_equity_diversity_equal_opportunity_and_affirmative_action.pdf Disability Accommodations: https://diversity.umn.edu/disability, drc@umn.edu Mental Health and Stress Management: http://www.mentalhealth.umn.edu Academic Freedom and Responsibility: Academic freedom is a cornerstone of the University. Within the scope and content of the course as defined by the instructor, it includes the freedom to discuss relevant matters in the classroom. Along with this freedom comes responsibility. Students are encouraged to develop the capacity for critical judgment and to engage in a sustained and independent search for truth. Students are free to take reasoned exception to the views offered in any course of study and to reserve judgment about matters of opinion, but they are responsible for learning the content of any course of study for which they are enrolled. Reports of concerns about academic freedom are taken seriously, and there are individuals and offices available for help. Contact the instructor, the Department Chair, your adviser, the associate dean of the college, or the Vice Provost for Faculty and Academic Affairs in the Office of the Provost. 10