Historical and Philosophical Foundations of Care Ethics II. The Eastern perspective
Code: 45066 ECTS Credits: 6| Degree | Type | Year |
|---|---|---|
| 3500086 Care Philosophies | OB | 1 |
Contact
- Name:
- David Casacuberta Sevilla
- Email:
- david.casacuberta@uab.cat
Teaching groups languages
You can view this information at the end of this document.
Prerequisites
No prerequisites
Objectives and Contextualisation
The aim of this course is to offer a philosophical perspective on how the ethics of care is understood in different branches of Eastern thought, highlighting the similarities and differences between the concept and application of care in Hindu, Buddhist, and Daoist thought. There are basically two reasons for offering this perspective: firstly, to establish an open, decolonial, and alternative perspective that allows for reflection on our idea of care in the West and to see that other ways of understanding and practicing it are possible. Secondly, current theories of care ethics, with holistic, ecological, and feminist approaches, share many philosophical principles with Eastern thought, especially Buddhism, thus facilitating a theoretical understanding of the principles associated with the ethics of care. Therefore, far from being merely an approach to "Eastern curiosities cabinet," this course is designed to demonstrate the relevance and significance of Eastern thought.
Learning Outcomes
- CA03 (Competence) Generate knowledge related to the ethics of care through group dynamics and the use of collaborative learning methodologies.
- CA04 (Competence) Creatively develop solutions to problems associated with care, taking into account the Eastern thinking perspective and social, cultural, ethnic or gender differences.
- KA04 (Knowledge) Describe the philosophical representations the of subject and care constructed in India, China and Japan.
- KA05 (Knowledge) Identify the theoretical elements relevant to ethical and political research in the Eastern conception of the ethics of care.
- KA06 (Knowledge) Relate the main conceptions of care in Eastern and Western philosophy.
- SA05 (Skill) Apply the main concepts of Eastern philosophy to analyse current problems in relation to care.
- SA06 (Skill) Recognise the interdisciplinarity necessary to solve problems of Eastern philosophical research related to the concept of care.
- SA07 (Skill) Apply classical knowledge from the Eastern philosophical tradition to current philosophical issues related to the concept of care.
Content
Contents
The course is organized into the following six modules:
1. Importance and Relevance of Eastern Thought
1.1 Towards a multicultural approach to philosophy
1.2 The parallel birth of philosophy in Greece, India, and China. Similarities and differences.
1.3 Religion versus Philosophy
1.4 Duality and non-duality.
1.5 Theoretical versus applied.
1.6 Analytical versus holistic
2. Introduction to Hindu Philosophy
2.1 Historical and cultural context of classical India.
2.2 Key ethical concepts in Hindu thought.
2.3 Main classical philosophical schools of India
2.4 What is real? Atman and Maya.
2.5 The concept of karma.
2.6 How is care understood from Hindu thought?
3. Key Concepts of Buddhism
3.1 Origin and development of Buddhism in India
3.2 Theravada, Mahayana, and Vajrayana Buddhism
3.3 Main philosophical ideas of Theravada Buddhism
3.4 Main philosophical ideas of Mahayana Buddhism
3.5 Similarities and differences with Hindu thought
3.6 How is care understood from Indian Buddhist thought?
4. Central Ideas of Chinese Philosophical Thought
4.1 Historical and cultural context of China.
4.2 The Chinese language and its philosophical uniqueness
4.3 Key concepts in the philosophical thought of Kongzi
4.4 Key concepts in the Daoist philosophical thought of Laozi
4.5 Key concepts in the Daoist philosophical thought of Zhuangzi
4.6 How is care understood from Daoist thought?
5. Central Ideas of Chinese and Japanese Buddhist Thought
5.1 Chinese Buddhism as an interconnection between Hindu Buddhism and Daoism.
5.2 Key concepts in Ch’an Buddhist thought.
5.3 The koan as a radical philosophical exercise.
5.4 The philosophy of Eihei Dogen.
5.5 The ethical model of Zen philosophy: the 16 precepts.
5.6 How is care understood from Zen?
6. Cat's craddle Encounters between East and West in the Ethics of Care
6.1 Care in medicine. The ethics of virtues in MacIntyre and the ethics of Kongzi.
6.2 Tracing biopolitics in the Dao De Jing of Laozi.
6.3 Carol Gilligan and Zhuangzi: The role of empathy in an ethics of care.
6.4 Continuing with the problem in Haraway and Dogen
6.5 Holism in Joan Tronto and its connection with the Zen view of ethics.
6.6 What does Eastern thought offer us to update a new ethics of care?
Activities and Methodology
| Title | Hours | ECTS | Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Type: Directed | |||
| Video Presentations | 34 | 1.36 | CA03, CA04, KA04, KA05, KA06, SA06, SA07 |
| external links | 11 | 0.44 | SA05, SA06, SA07 |
| Type: Supervised | |||
| tutorship | 22 | 0.88 | CA04, KA06 |
| Type: Autonomous | |||
| case estudies | 31 | 1.24 | CA03, CA04, KA04 |
| recommended readings | 45 | 1.8 | KA05, KA06, SA05, SA06, SA07 |
The course consists of six blocks organized asynchronously. Each block contains the following resources:
A training module with a video presentation of the central content of the block.
Links and external materials to expand on the content presented in the training module.
Two short, mandatory, and assessable readings.
An assessable multiple-choice quiz.
Once the quiz is passed, the student can move on to the next module until all six modules are completed. At that point, an online tutoring session can be conducted with the person responsible for the course (synchronous if the schedules of the professor and student allow, asynchronous otherwise) in which the topic and content of the mandatory essay to pass the course will be coordinated.
In parallel, there will be a forum accessible only to the students of the course where they can ask questions to the faculty and other students and discuss issues related to the subject. Also, if they prefer, students can send personal questions via email to the person responsible for the course.
Annotation: Within the schedule set by the centre or degree programme, 15 minutes of one class will be reserved for students to evaluate their lecturers and their courses or modules through questionnaires.
Assessment
Continous Assessment Activities
| Title | Weighting | Hours | ECTS | Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quiz | 60 | 2 | 0.08 | KA04, KA05, KA06, SA06, SA07 |
| short essay | 40 | 5 | 0.2 | CA03, CA04, KA04, KA05, KA06, SA05, SA06, SA07 |
The evaluation will consist of two parts:
1. A test at the end of each module (60%). This equates to 6 simple tests. Each quiz will consist of 10 to 15 questions related to the explanations provided in each module and the two mandatory readings of each module.
2. Writing a final essay (40%) previously agreed upon with the instructor responsible for the course. The evaluation of the essay consists of the following phases:
a. A preliminary tutoring session to discuss the essay's approach and establish a reading and work plan (2 points)
b. A follow-up tutoring session to resolve doubts (2 points)
c. Evaluation of the written essay (6 points)
Personalized tutoring sessions will preferably be conducted via videoconference.
A rubric outlining the process and evaluation criteria for the essay will be posted on the Virtual Campus.
Bibliography
Deshimaru, Taisen (2000) Zen verdadero. Introducción al Shobogenzo.
Lessig, D. (trad) Tao te King. Editorial Koan
Lopez, D. (2011) The story of Buddhism. A concise guide to its historiy and teachings. San Francisco: Harper
Loy, D. (1999) No dualidad. Editorial Kairós
Okumura, S. (2010) Realizing genjokoan: the key to Dogen's Shobogenzo. Wisdom Publications.
Siderits, M. (2007) Buddhism as philosophy. Hackett.
Villalba, D. (Trad) Shobobenzo. Editorial Kairós
Zhuang Zi. El libro de Zhuang Zi. Editorial Kairós
Software
There is no extra software needed
Language list
| Name | Group | Language | Semester | Turn |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| (TEm) Theory (master) | 1 | Spanish | first semester | morning-mixed |