Chinese Moral and Political Philosophy

In this course we will examine some of the central texts and figures in classical (pre-Qin) Chinese philosophy, e.g., Confucius, Mencius, and Laozi. We will take a guided tour to see how these ancient thinkers from a culture and tradition independent of that of Western Europe approached the questions of how to live a good life, and how to live in a just and harmonious way. Occasionally, we will venture into some Western moral and political philosophy for the purpose of comparison and discussion. 3 hrs. lect