Module description
This module is intended for students who wish to gain an introduction to Indian philosophy that looks carefully at the high standard of logic, epistemology, metaphysics and linguistics that grounded the various philosophical systems. The course examines the schools of Buddhism, Jainism and Advaita Vedānta, and assesses their defence against attack from the schools of Mīmāmsā, Sānkhya, Nyāya and Vaiśeshika. The examination of these schools makes use of translations of the primary texts and focuses upon the vigorous debate over conceptual analysis and argumentative strategies by which the schools presented their philosophical positions, defended them against attacks by other schools, and mounted in turn their own attacks. Studying Indian philosophy in this way demonstrates both the similarities and the philosophically important differences in the way the main issues of philosophy have been addressed in India and in the West.
Assessment details
Summative assessment: 1 x 3,000-word essay (100%).
Formative assessment: 1 x 2,500-word essay
Educational aims & objectives
The aim is to provide students with an overview of the range of philosophical positions defended by the various schools of Indian philosophy, but to do so in a way that scrutinizes the means by which these positions were explicated and justified. The aim is, therefore, for the students to know, assess and be able to deploy the arguments and counter-arguments by which the various schools of Indian philosophy evolved, and to understand how these issues and techniques relate in illuminating ways to the philosophical activity that has been pursued in the West. By drawing upon the original texts in translation for this examination of doctrine and methodology, we aim for the students to develop their skills in the analysis and evaluation of seminal philosophical works.
Sample lecture plan
- Week 1. Buddhism. Foundations and the Deconstruction of the Individual Self.
- Week 2. Buddhism. Abhidharma and the Metaphysics of Empty Persons.
- Week 3. Buddhism. Yogācāra and the Non-existence of an External World.
- Week 4. Buddhism. Madhyamaka and the Doctrine of Emptiness.
- Week 5. Buddhism. Buddhist Logic and the School of Dignāga.
- Week 6. Jainism. The Theory of Non-one-sided-ness and the Doctrine of Standpoints.
- Week 7. Jainism. The Doctrine of Conditional Affirmation.
- Week 8. Advaita Vedānta. The Doctrine of Superimposition and the Logic of Nescience.
- Week 9. Advaita Vedānta. The Metaphysics of Non-duality and the Valid Means of Knowledge
- Week 10. Advaita Vedānta. Sublation (bādha) and the Epistemology of Liberation.
Learning outcomes
By the end of the module, the students will be able to demonstrate intellectual, transferable and practicable skills appropriate to a Level 6 module, and in particular will be able to demonstrate:
a textually-referenced knowledge of the main systems of philosophy in India the ability to deploy the philosophical techniques and argumentative strategies that can be used to defend such systems the transferable skill of formulating and evaluating arguments both for and against various other kinds of philosophical positions, and the ability to assess critically the similarities and differences across different cultures, with respect to the way philosophical issues are treated in India and in the West.
Teaching pattern
one one-hour weekly lecture and one one-hour weekly seminar over ten weeks.