27306 - Philosophies of India and Eastern Asia (1)

Learning outcomes

The course aims to provide the student with a basic knowledge of the topics and problems concerning the religious traditions and philosophical thought of East Asia. By its conclusion, the student will be able to discuss the subjects in both writing and orally employing the appropriate terminology and displaying a critical appreciation of the bibliographical material.

Course contents

Introduction:

1. The philosophical comparison and philosophical encounters between Europe and India: History of Orientalism, methods and aporias.

2. An ethical path crossing cultures (commented reading of key texts for the understanding of the ethical doctrines in South and East Asia).

Part One:

Logical-epistemological and metaphysical themes dealt with by major classical and post-classical Indian philosophical schools.

Part Two:

What is yoga? The nature of consciousness and meditative techniques.

Philosophical descriptions of the aesthetic and mystic experiences.

Readings/Bibliography

Sferra, F. (a cura di), Filosofie dell'India, Roma. Carocci, 2018 (for the examination only the reading of chapters 1, 9 and 10 is required).

- Bori, P.C. / Marchignoli, S., Per un percorso etico tra culture, Roma 2004 (for the examination only the reading of Chinese and Indian texts is required).

- Marchignoli, S., L'India filosofica: un percorso tra temi e problemi del pensiero indiano, Bologna 2005 (a copy is always available at the library Giorgio R. Franci via Zamboni 33; the text can be bought, even as an electronic book, from the university service of the publisher Bonomo).

- Torella, R., Il pensiero dell'India. Un'introduzione, Roma 2008 (for the examination only the chapters 8, 9 and 10 are required)

Recommended reading:

-Franci, G.R., Yoga , Bologna 2008.

Teaching methods

The course consists of taught classes. The teacher will regularly use pdf files for commented text readings.

Assessment methods

Oral exam, with discussion of a very short written paper written at home by the student (see below the list of topics for the paper)

The exam consists of 2 parts:

Part One) Texts Recognition Test: The student will have to recognize at least 3 out of 4 sentences from the Indian and Chinese texts anthologized in A) Per un percorso etico tra culture, B) L'India filosofica and C) Sferra, F. (a cura di), Filosofie dell'India;

in detail (attention: Indian words are written without the usual diacritics):

A) Per un percorso etico tra culture: Il Grande Studio, Mencio, Daodejing, Bhagavadgita, Katha-upanisad, Discorso della messa in moto della ruota della legge, Brani dal Dhammapada: XII and XV, Sutra del cuore, “Editto” XII di Asoka;

B) from L'India filosofica: Nagarjuna: la dottrina delle due verità; Nagarjuna: critica dei mezzi di conoscenza; I Vaisesikasutra sulla cognizione dell'irrealtà; La relazione tra purusa e prakrti nel Samkhya;

C) from Sferra, F. (a cura di), Filosofie dell'India: Bhagavadgitabhasya di Sankara ad 18.66; Yuktidipika ad Samkhyakarika 2ab.

If the student does not pass the texts recognition test he / she will not be admitted to the last part of the exam.

Second part) Discussion of the written paper brought by the student and a short final interview.

Lastly, the student will have to hand over to the teacher, at the exam (not earlier), a very short written paper (up to 5,000 characters, or two pages approximately) on a topic chosen from the list published at the bottom of this section.

The oral examination consists in the discussion of this paper and in a short final interview on the topics of the course.

The paper will not be considered admissible if it does not have the following formal characteristics: 1) quotations always accompanied by the bibliographic reference of the source; 2) short final bibliography prepared by choosing and applying uniformly one of the bibliography models accepted in the academic publications.

Grading is based primarily on an assessment of the student's preparation, but will also take into account her/his ability of analysis and synthesis, clarity in both written and oral exposition, and use of an appropriate language.

More specifically:

• An comprehensive vision of the topics dealt with in the course, the capacity for their critical analysis, and the use of a precise and appropriate terminology, will be evaluated with excellent to good marks;
• A good / acceptable, but not in-depth knowledge of the subject, a limited ability in elaborating a synthesis and in producing an analysis, a use of an acceptable but not always accurate language, will be evaluated with marks ranging form mere pass level to average;
• The lack of knowledge of the topics dealt with, the lack of preparation in elaborating analysis and synthesis, the use of inaccurate terminology and the lack of familiarity with the course bibliography, will lead to the failure to pass the examination.

This 6 CFU course can be chosen as a part of the 12 CFU Integrated Course “RELIGIONI E FILOSOFIE DELL'ASIA ORIENTALE (C.I.)". If the student has the Integrated Course (12 CFU) in his/her study plan, the final grade will result from the arithmetic average of the marks obtained in the two parts (“Filosofie dell'India e dell'Asia orientale (1)" and “Religioni e filosofia dell'Asia orientale (1)“).

List of themes for the short written work (attention: Indian words are written without the usual diacritics):

Asoka and "religious pluralism"
The Bhagavadgita: general characteristics
Characteristics of Indian logic-epistemology
Dignaga: general characteristics of his thought
Philosophies of Language in India
The three "yogas" of the Bhagavadgita
The Discourse of the Setting in Motion of the Wheel of Dhamma
Karma-yoga in the Bhagavadgita
The Nyaya-Vaisesika School
The problem of the existence of "aggregates" in Nyaya-Vaisesika School
The inferential process according to the Nyaya School
The relationship between purusa and prakrti in the Samkhya School
The Samkhya School in P. Martinetti's interpretation
The Samkhya School: general characteristics
The tetralemma in Buddhist thought
The Vaisesika School: general characteristics
The Advaita Vedanta of Sankara: general characteristics
The theme of "anatta" in Buddhism
Bhakti-yoga in the Bhagavadgita
The doctrine of the pre-existence of the effect in the cause
The doctrine of emptiness in Nagarjuna
Bhartrhari's philosophy of language
Liberation in the Samkhya School
The "maya" in Sankara's thought
The nature of yogic consciousness according to Hegel
The Purvamimamsa and the philosophy of language
The Pratyabhijna school
Emptiness in Nagarjuna
The atman-brahman in the Upanisads
The 4 Noble Truths in the Pali Canon and Nagarjuna
The doctrine of the "two truths" in Nagarjuna
The aesthetics of Abhinavagupta
Evolutionary lines of logic in India
The inferential scheme in the Nyaya School
Patanjali's yoga: general characteristics
Logic-epistemology of Dignaga
Nagarjuna: general characteristics of his thought
Sankara: general characteristics of his thinking
Sankara interpreter of the Bhagavadgita
Comparison between the Advaita Vedanta of Sankara and the Samkhya School
The theme of perception in the main Buddhist Schools
Theories of Consciousness in Indian Thought
Indian materialism
The justification for the rejection of sacrificial violence in the Samkhya School

Office hours

See the website of Saverio Marchignoli