Philosophy

This course takes a geographical approach to some of the world’s most complex moral issues. It gives students the chance to explore a range of moral questions from a geographical perspective. Arguably a geographical perspective, which embraces knowledge from other disciplines and not only its own, is well-placed to "join the dots" and grapple with the complexity of the world as it is, not how we want it to be. It explores these complex issues using a multi-scalar, place-sensitive approach, embracing not only key geographical thinkers, but also philosophers, political scientists, sociologists, psychologists, and economists. 

In this course, students explore the origins of Western philosophy by examining the thoughts and ideas of ancient Greek thinkers. In the first part of the course, the main ideas and theories of pre-Socratic philosophers regarding the natures of reality, soul, and knowledge are  discussed. During the next two parts of the course, the main ideas of Plato and Aristotle are discussed in more detail. Through analysis of some of their major works, students examine their views on some of the most important issues in metaphysics, epistemology, and ethics. Most of the reading materials of the course are from primary sources whose translations are available in English.

This course performs micro-genealogies of various strands of “practical philosophy” and “philosophical practice,” both ancient and modern, to rethink how philosophy can provide the conceptual tools needed to tarry with the complexities of individual and social life. It addresses questions such as what is happiness and the good life; at what expense do we find happiness; what are the conditions for freedom; and how to engage with death, illness, and finitude. This course critically examines how happiness has been imagined in the past and the present, from virtue and duty to wellness and bliss.

Are time and space substances, or is there nothing more to them than the relations between objects or events? How is time different from space? Does time have a direction? If it does, what gives it its direction? If it doesn't, why does it seem to us that it does? Does space have a direction? This course investigates the nature of time and space and objects (including persons) within space and time.

The course covers the ideological tradition of Western Marxism, its development process, ideological characteristics, theoretical contributions, and practical significance. Students read the classic works of Western Marxism, their problem awareness, their argumentation ideas, and their theoretical characteristics.

The course provides an introduction to the main problems in epistemology and metaphysics. Topics vary by year, and may include defining knowledge, skepticism, testimony, disagreement, modality, universals and particulars, causation, free will, and social/feminist metaphysics and epistemology.

This course is an introduction to Wittgenstein's Philosophical Investigations. It covers sections 1-184, which is about one third of the book. Wittgenstein lived from 1889 until 1951, and the Philosophical Investigations appeared in 1953. The course provides an overview of three periods of his development, an early period, a middle period of transition, and a late period. This book is the main result of his late period. It contains the thoughts Wittgenstein was struggling with from 1929 until 1949. It is a classic in analytic philosophy of language. The course uses the translation by Anscombe. It is available as bilingual edition. Knowledge of German is not required, but is helpful.

Workplace ethics (Occupational Ethics) is an emerging issue of the times. When working hours continue to prolong, work relationships continue to complicate, work values continue to be disintegrated due to diversity, and the continuous innovation of technology at work subverts inherent behavior patterns. In chaos of disagreement, the thinking and dialogue of workplace ethics is meeting the needs of this era and helping people to find the greatest common divisor of interests and well-being. Since the 20th century, the tide of capitalism's consequentialism and the pursuit of maximum profit has been hitting and submerging the entire world of work. People are confused about how to find the real meaning and value of work. This is a construction that requires the help of inner life experience. Among them, the promotion of Workplace Spirituality is a good choice, because its purpose is to help workers realize the inner spiritual meaning of work, spread a sense of harmony, and get the whole workplace community to be inspired.