Admission requirements
This course is mandatory for first-year BA students in Philosophy: Global and Comparative Perspectives.
This course is available as an elective for BA students SSEAS and Religiewetenschappen.
A limited number of places is available for students from other departments.
Description
This course is an introduction to several of the most influential philosophical schools and thinkers in premod-ern India. The course will begin with a brief introduction to the Vedas and Upaniṣads, before turning to early and Mahayana Buddhist thought. Topics considered will include the nature of the self as well as Buddhist arguments against the existence of a soul; early Buddhist and Abhidharma psychology; and the relation be-tween philosophy and the goal of liberation. The second half of the course examines several of the most influ-ential Brahmanical schools of philosophy: Nyāya, Vaiśeṣika, Sāṃkhya and Advaita Vedānta. Specific topics to be discussed will include epistemic justification and the means of right knowledge (pramāṇas), the existence (or nonexistence) of a self (ātman), metaphysics, and ontology. Authors and texts read in the course will include selections from the early Buddhist canon, Nāgārjuna, Vasubandhu, the Nyāya Sutra, the Sāṁkhyakārikā, and Śaṅkara. Particular emphasis will be given to the commonalities and contrasts between Buddhist and Brahmanical philosophical thought.
Course objectives
This course aims to introduce students to the Indian Philosophical tradition.
Students who successfully complete the course will have a good understanding of:
- basic philosophical positions and philosophical vocabulary of several of the most influential schools of Indian Philosophy.
Students who successfully complete the course will be able to:
present this knowledge in written form (written exams);
formulate critical responses to these philosophical ideas and positions.
Timetable
The timetables are available through MyTimetable.
Mode of instruction
- Lectures.
Class attendance is required.
Assessment method
Assessment
Midterm written examination (one-hour) with short open questions and essay questions (20%);
Final written examination (three-hours) with short open questions and essay questions (80%).
Weighing
The final mark for the course is established by determining the weighted average of the two subtests (see above). To pass the course, the weighted average of the partial grades must be 5.5 or higher.
Resit
The resit consists of one examination for all parts at once, consisting of a written examination covering the entire course content. The mark for the resit replaces all previously earned marks for subtests.
Inspection and feedback
How and when an exam review will take place will be disclosed together with the publication of the exam re-sults at the latest. If a student requests a review within 30 days after publication of the exam results, an exam review will have to be organized.
Reading list
- Gethin, Rupert. 1998. The Foundations of Buddhism. Oxford University Press. (Required).
Other texts will be announced on Brightspace.
Registration
Enrolment through MyStudyMap is mandatory.
General information about course and exam enrolment is available on the website.
Registration Exchange
For the registration of exchange students contact Humanities International Office.
Contact
For substantive questions, contact the lecturer listed in the right information bar.
For questions about enrolment, admission, etc, contact the Education Administration Office: Huizinga.
Remarks
Not applicable.