Philosophy 18

The teachings of Confucius (6th to 5th century B.C.) have had a profound influence on Chinese and East Asian cultures, and have attracted significant interest throughout the world. In what ways are they still of relevance to life in the twenty-first century? The course will consider the contemporary relevance of Confucius’ teachings for a number of selected topics. For this semester, the selected topics will revolve around the theme ‘no self’ or ‘losing the self’. In addition to reading passages from the Analects of Confucius, we will also consider elaborations on Confucius’ ideas by later Confucians, including Mencius (4th century B.C.) and Zhu Xi (1130-1200), as well as contemporary philosophical discussions of related topics such as: compassion, sympathy, empathy; humility, modesty; anger, resentment, forgiveness; detachment, tranquility. The goal is to provide an introduction to Confucius’ teachings and to key ideas in Confucian thought, as well as an understanding of the philosophical implications and contemporary relevance of Confucian ideas.