Philosophy 153

This course offers an introduction to philosophical debate in the Warring States period of ancient China. This was the Classical Age of Chinese Philosophy and the seedbed from which grew all of the native currents of thought that survived from traditional China. The course will look primarily at Confucius, Mozi, Yang Zhu, Mencius, Laozi, Zhuangzi, Xunzi and Hanfeizi, and consider their various and competing conceptions of the Dao—the way for the individual to best live his life or for the community to conduct its affairs. The approach of the course will be both historical and critical, and will attempt to both situate Classical Chinese philosophical discourse in its intellectual-historical context and to bring out its continuing relevance.

Philip J. Ivanhoe and Bryan W. Van Norden, Readings in Classical Chinese Philosophy, 2nd Edition (Hackett, 2005) D. C. Lau, Confucius: The Analects (Penguin, 1979, 1998)