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PH150-15 World Philosophies

Department
Philosophy
Level
Undergraduate Level 1
Module leader
Massimiliano Lacertosa
Credit value
15
Module duration
9 weeks
Assessment
100% coursework
Study location
University of Warwick main campus, Coventry
Introductory description

In this module, you will learn about some of the major world philosophies such as Chinese Philosophy and Buddhist Philosophy, as well as about some of the questions raised by the existence of different philosophical traditions. What answers do different philosophical traditions offer to questions such as: What is reality? What is the relation between appearances and reality? What is the relation between knowledge and truth? How do we achieve a good life? And how should we think about the relations between the different ways of thinking by which they arrive at these answers? By the end of the module, you will have a theoretical knowledge of some of the major world philosophies and be able to apply this knowledge to the analysis of texts in non-Western philosophical traditions.

Module aims

This module aims to train you to understand Philosophy from the broader perspective of world philosophies. In particular, the module offers the fundamental theoretical tools that will allow you to approach a variety of non-Western philosophical traditions. Through the analysis of different metaphysical, ethical, and epistemic systems of thought, the module aims to provide you with a range of opportunities to discuss fundamental philosophical questions from a variety of standpoints. The final aim is not only to give you an overview of world philosophies but also to enable you to discuss more general questions such as: Is Philosophy a universal concept? What is Philosophy from a decolonising perspective? How can we put different philosophical traditions into dialogue with one another?

Outline syllabus

This is an indicative module outline only to give an indication of the sort of topics that may be covered. Actual sessions held may differ.

Week 1
World Philosophies: An Introduction

Week 2
Rationality or Rationalities? What is Decolonisation?

Week 3
Colonialism and Négritude: Senghor, Césaire, Fanon

Week 4
Non-Western “Art” and Cultural Appropriation

Week 5
The Problem of Translation in World Philosophies

Week 7
Indian Philosophy and German Idealism; Or, Was Schopenhauer a Bad Buddhist?

Week 8
Buddhist Philosophy: Nagarjuna’s “Examination of Fire and Fuel”

Week 9
Chinese Philosophy part 1: The Metaphysics of Laozi 老子

Week 10
Chinese Philosophy part 2: Ziran 自然 and Wuwei 無為

Learning outcomes

By the end of the module, students should be able to:

  • By the end of the module you will be able to: Demonstrate a theoretical knowledge of the principles implied in some of the major world philosophies.
  • Demonstrate familiarity with the main theoretical issues of different world philosophies and communicate clearly and substantively in speech and in writing on the questions addressed in the module.
  • Critically assess the key claims and arguments of the core texts and the case studies analysed in the module.
  • Organize philosophical research and engage independently in comparative philosophical analysis.
Indicative reading list

Césaire, Aimé. 2000. Discourse on colonialism. New York: Monthly Review Press.
Cooper, David E. 2012. ‘Schopenhauer and Indian Philosophy’. In B. Vandenabeele (ed.) A Companion to Schopenhauer. Chicester: Wiley-Blackwell.
Deutsch, Eliot, ed. 1991. Culture and Modernity: East-West Philosophic Perspectives. Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press.
Deutsch, Eliot, and Ronald Bontekoe, eds. 1999. A Companion to World Philosophies. Malden, Mass.: Blackwell.
Dutton, Dennis. 2008. “But they Don’t have our Concept of Art” in Alex Neil & Aaron Ridley (eds), Arguing About Art: Contemporary Philosophical Debates, Third Edition, London: Routledge
Escande, Yolaine, Vincent Shen, and Chenyang Li, eds. 2013. Inter-culturality and Philosophic Discourse. Newcastle upon Tyne: Cambridge Scholars Publishing.
Fanon, Frantz. 2001/1967. The Wretched of the Earth. Translated by Constance Farrington. London: Penguin.
Janaway, Christopher. 2021. ‘Schopenhauer’s “Indian” Ethics’. In P. Hassan (ed.) Schopenhauer’s Moral Philosophy. London: Routledge.
Laozi 老子, Daodejing 道德經.
Ma, Lin, and Jaap van Brakel. 2016. Fundamentals of Comparative and Intercultural Philosophy. Albany: State University of New York Press.
Senghor, Léopold Sédar. 1964. Négritude et humanisme. Paris: Editions du Seuil.
Shiner, Larry. 2008. “Western and Non-Western Concepts of Art” in Alex Neil & Aaron Ridley (eds), Arguing About Art: Contemporary Philosophical Debates, Third Edition, London: Routledge.
Ryan, Christopher. 2017. ‘Schopenhauer and Gotama on Life’s Suffering’. In S. Shapshay (ed.) The Palgrave Schopenhauer Handbook. London: Palgrave-Macmillan
Van Norden, Bryan W. 2017. Taking Back Philosophy: A Multicultural Manifesto. New York: Columbia University Press.

Research element

Both assessments – video presentation and essay – require research elements.

Interdisciplinary

The module addresses the issue of how the analysis of different philosophical traditions needs to combine methods and insights from different academic disciplines.

International

By definition, the analysis of different world philosophies needs to consider different cultural traditions in a multicultural and international context

Subject specific skills

Through this module you will acquire
(a) The ability to understand the distinctive features of some of the major world philosophies;
(b) The ability to apply different approaches in the comparative philosophical analysis;
(c) The ability to pursue independent philosophical research.

Transferable skills

Through this module you will acquire
(a) The ability to communicate information (verbally and in written form) to people both expert and non-expert in the field;
(b) The ability to analyse, evaluate, critique and apply complex information gathered from reading, reflection, reasoning or communication;
(c) The ability to effectively manage schedules and deadlines.

Study time

Type Required
Lectures 9 sessions of 2 hours (12%)
Seminars 8 sessions of 1 hour (5%)
Private study 124 hours (83%)
Total 150 hours
Private study description

Private study and reading.

Costs

No further costs have been identified for this module.

You do not need to pass all assessment components to pass the module.

Students can register for this module without taking any assessment.

Assessment group A2
Weighting Study time
Video presentation 20%
Written Assignment (2500 words) 80%
Feedback on assessment

Feedbacks will be provided on essays and video presentations.

Courses

This module is Core optional for:

  • UIPA-V5L8 Undergraduate Philosophy and Global Sustainable Development
    • Year 1 of V5L8 Philosophy and Global Sustainable Development
    • Year 1 of V5L8 Philosophy and Global Sustainable Development

This module is Optional for:

  • Year 1 of UPHA-VL78 BA in Philosophy with Psychology
  • Year 1 of UHIA-V1V5 Undergraduate History and Philosophy
  • UPHA-V700 Undergraduate Philosophy
    • Year 1 of V700 Philosophy
    • Year 1 of V700 Philosophy
  • Year 1 of UPHA-VQ72 Undergraduate Philosophy and Literature

This module is Option list B for:

  • UMAA-GV17 Undergraduate Mathematics and Philosophy
    • Year 1 of GV17 Mathematics and Philosophy
    • Year 1 of GV17 Mathematics and Philosophy
    • Year 1 of GV17 Mathematics and Philosophy

This module is Option list C for:

  • UMAA-GV17 Undergraduate Mathematics and Philosophy
    • Year 1 of GV17 Mathematics and Philosophy
    • Year 1 of GV17 Mathematics and Philosophy
    • Year 1 of GV17 Mathematics and Philosophy

This module is Option list D for:

  • Year 1 of UHIA-V1V5 Undergraduate History and Philosophy