27306 - Philosophies of India and Eastern Asia (1) (M-Z)

Learning outcomes

Basic knowledge of South Asian and East Asian philosophical thought, also through direct reading of primary texts in translation.

Ability to effectively present the learned contents, both orally and in writing, using appropriate terminology and contextualizing them historically, also with reference to the relevant bibliography.

Course contents

Introduction:

1. Comparative philosophy and philosophical encounters between Europe and India. 2. Vedic premises and their rejection. 3. Exact sciences in classical India. 4. An ethical path between cultures (for the knowledge of ethical doctrines in South and East Asia). With commented readings of primary texts.

Part One. Logical-epistemological and metaphysical themes addressed by the main South Asian philosophical schools of the classical and post-classical period. With commented readings of primary texts.

Part Two. The nature of consciousness and identity according to the main South Asian philosophical schools of the classical and post-classical period. Philosophical descriptions of aesthetic experience. Soteriological perspectives. With commented readings of primary texts.

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)

Suggested readings:

- Eltschinger, V., Ratié, I., Che cos'è la filosofia indiana?, Torino: Einaudi, 2023.
- Gnoli, R., L’estetica indiana. La scuola di Abhinavagupta. Roma: Carocci, 2023.
Anrò, A. (2024). Algoritmi sanscriti. La matematica indiana nel medioevo europeo. Pisa: Pacini Editore.

Teaching methods

Frontal lessons; commented reading of primary texts in traslation

Assessment methods

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

The exam consists of 2 parts:

First part) text recognition test: the student must recognize at least 3 out of 4 passages taken from the Indian and Chinese texts anthologized in A) For an ethical path between cultures, B) Philosophical India and C) in chapters 9 and 10 of Sferra, F. (edited by), Philosophies of India; in particular (attention: Indian words are written without the usual diacritics):

A) from Per un percorso etico tra culture: The Great Study, Mencius, Daodejing, Bhagavadgita, Katha-upanisad, Discourse of the setting in motion of the wheel of the law, Passages from the Dhammapada: XII and XV, Heart Sutra, "Edict" XII of Asoka.

B) from L'India filosofica: Nagarjuna: the doctrine of the two truths; Nagarjuna: criticism of the means of knowledge; The Vaisesikasutra on the cognition of unreality; The relationship between purusa and prakrti in the Samkhya;

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

N.B.: If the student does not pass the text recognition test, he/she will not be able to proceed with the exam.

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

The student must deliver to the teacher, during the exam (not before), a very short written essay (max. 5 thousand characters, or about two pages) on a topic chosen from:

A) those presented in class (see section Materials on Virtuale);

B) those present in the list published at the bottom of this section (especially for non-attending students).

The oral exam consists of the discussion of this essay and a short final interview on the topics of the course. The essay 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) very short final bibliography compiled by choosing and applying uniformly one of the bibliography models accepted in scientific publications. The evaluation takes into account, in addition to the solidity of the preparation, the analytical and synthetic skills, the clarity of exposition and the ability to use appropriate terminology, both in the short written essay and in the oral discussion. In particular: the achievement of a comprehensive and synthetic view of the topics dealt with in the course, together with the ability to critically analyze them and use precise and appropriate language, will be evaluated with the highest marks; a good/acceptable but not in-depth knowledge of the subject matter, limited synthetic and analytical skills, the use of acceptable but not always precise language, will earn the student marks from mere sufficiency to discrete; Poor knowledge of the course topics, lack of preparation in elaborating analysis and synthesis, the use of imprecise terminology and lack of familiarity with the course bibliography, will lead to failure of the exam. This 6 CFU course can be chosen within the 12 CFU Integrated Course "RELIGIONS AND PHILOSOPHIES OF EAST ASIA (C.I.)". If the student has the Integrated Course (12 CFU) in his/her study plan, the final mark will be the arithmetic average of the marks obtained in the two parts ("Philosophies of India and East Asia (1)" and "Religions and philosophy of East Asia (1) ").

 

List of possible topics for the short written essay (option B; especially for non-attending students) (note: 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 on Setting the Wheel of the Dhamma in Motion

Karma-yoga in the Bhagavadgita

The Nyaya-Vaisesika

The problem of the existence of wholes in Nyaya-Vaisesika

The inferential process according to Nyaya

The relationship between purusa and prakrti in Samkhya

Samkhya in Martinetti

The Samkhya system: general characteristics

The tetralemma in Buddhist thought

The Vaisesika: general characteristics

Sankara's Advaita Vedanta: 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

The philosophy of language of Bhartrhari

Liberation in Samkhya

"Maya" in Sankara

The nature of yogic consciousness according to Hegel

Purvamimamsa and the philosophy of language

The school of Pratyabhijna

Emptiness in Nagarjuna

Atman-brahman in the Upanishads

The 4 noble truths in the Pali canon and in Nagarjuna

The doctrine of the "two truths" in Nagarjuna

The aesthetics of Abhinavagupta

Evolutionary lines of logic in India

The inferential scheme in Nyaya

Patanjali's yoga: general characteristics

Logic-epistemology of Dignaga

Nagarjuna: general characteristics of his thought

Sankara: general characteristics of his thought

Sankara's interpretation of the Bhagavadgita

Comparison between Sankara's Advaita Vedanta and Samkhya

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 Samkhya

Teaching tools

Supplementary material available on Virtuale

Students who require specific services and adaptations to teaching activities due to a disability or specific learning disorders (SLD), must first contact the appropriate office: https://site.unibo.it/studenti-con-disabilita-e-dsa/en/for-students.

Office hours

See the website of Alberto Anrò