This is an introductory survey course on Chinese philosophy. It covers the period from early Confucian and Daoist thought through to Chinese philosophy in the modern China, with a focus on the classical period. The course looks at the representative schools, their main thinkers and writings, and the ideas they developed. An understanding of the foundations of Chinese thought helps us to make explicit and self-conscious some of the radically different assumptions of our own intellectual traditions. It also provides background knowledge crucial to an informed understanding of many developments in modern and contemporary China.
Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion, students will have the knowledge and skills to:
On the successful completion of this course, students will be able to:1. Demonstrate through analysis and critical reflection an understanding of the key concepts in Chinese and East Asian philosophy and religion;
2. Acquire knowledge of philosophical thought developed in Chinese historical contexts;
3. Integrate theoretical knowledge with empirical examples drawn from textual analysis;
4. Compare philosophical thought developed in Chinese contexts meaningfully with that of other intellectual traditions;
5. Exercise critical thinking and judgment in identifying and solving philosophical problems, individually and in groups;
6. Identify and distinguish the source materials and tools necessary for engagement with Chinese philosophical thinking of various eras.
Indicative Assessment
2 Tutorial handouts (approx 2 pages) - total 20%2 Tutorial papers (min. 1,000 words) - total 30%
Research Essay (5,000 words) - 50%
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Workload
Two lectures and one tutorial per week. 32 contact hours per SemesterRequisite and Incompatibility
Prescribed Texts
An anthology (or 'brick') of readings compiled by the course lecturer. Supplementary materials will be handed out in class and students are provided with a bibliography
Majors
Minors
Fees
Tuition fees are for the academic year indicated at the top of the page.
If you are a domestic graduate coursework or international student you will be required to pay tuition fees. Tuition fees are indexed annually. Further information for domestic and international students about tuition and other fees can be found at Fees.
- Student Contribution Band:
- 1
- Unit value:
- 6 units
If you are an undergraduate student and have been offered a Commonwealth supported place, your fees are set by the Australian Government for each course. At ANU 1 EFTSL is 48 units (normally 8 x 6-unit courses). You can find your student contribution amount for each course at Fees. Where there is a unit range displayed for this course, not all unit options below may be available.
| Units | EFTSL |
|---|---|
| 6.00 | 0.12500 |
Course fees
- Domestic fee paying students
| Year | Fee |
|---|---|
| 2016 | $2718 |
- International fee paying students
| Year | Fee |
|---|---|
| 2016 | $3876 |
Offerings, Dates and Class Summary Links
ANU utilises MyTimetable to enable students to view the timetable for their enrolled courses, browse, then self-allocate to small teaching activities / tutorials so they can better plan their time. Find out more on the Timetable webpage.
