Module overview
Philosophy flourished in classical India for well over a millennium, with figures in this tradition producing works that are on a par with those of figures in ancient Greece and late antique and medieval Europe. In fact, figures in classical India contributed extensively to what what we now recognise as core areas of philosophy such as epistemology, logic, philosophy of mind, metaphysics, and ethics. This module provides an overview of this long-neglected tradition of philosophy. Texts covered may include the early texts of the Brahmanical and Śramaṇa traditions (e.g. the Upaniṣads, and Pali Canon of Buddhism), and writings in the age of sutras and commentaries (e.g. those of Brahmanical schools such as Nyāya, Pūrva-Mīmāṃsā, Sāṃkhya, and Yoga, and Śramaṇa schools such as Buddhism and Jainism). The module’s approach will not be purely historical, but will critically examine the contributions these texts make to philosophical debates that remain live today.
Aims and Objectives
Learning Outcomes
Subject Specific Intellectual and Research Skills
Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:
- Relate views and arguments in classical Indian metaphysics, epistemology, logic, philosophy of mind, and ethics to ideas in the western philosophical tradition at an advanced level.
- Critically examine the ideas and reasoning of different schools of classical Indian philosophy at an advanced level.
- Articulate and defend your own views about the topics discussed by classical Indian philosophers at an advanced level.
Transferable and Generic Skills
Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:
- Demonstrate advanced skills in essay writing, planning and research.
- Scrutinize complex texts and extract from them key information at an advanced level.
Knowledge and Understanding
Having successfully completed this module, you will be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of:
- Advanced knowledge of some of the central texts, schools, figures, and ideas in classical Indian philosophy.
- Advanced appreciation of the richness of the classical Indian philosophical tradition and the significance of its ideas to contemporary philosophy.
- Advanced understanding of some of the main arguments and counter-arguments put forward by figures in the different schools of classical Indian philosophy.
Syllabus
The syllabus may vary from year to year. It may include:
- Selections from the Vedas and Upaniṣads.
- Selections from the Pali Canon of Buddhism and the Perfection of Wisdom sutras.
- Original texts and commentaries by writers of sutras and commentaries in schools such as Nyāya, Pūrva-Mīmāṃsā, Sāṃkhya, Jainism, and Buddhism. Such figures may include Jaimini, Gautama Akṣapāda, Nāgārjuna, Vasubandhu, Vātsyāyana, Dignāga, Candrakīrti, Kumārila Bhaṭṭa, Dharmakīrti, Śāntideva, Śaṅkara, Jayarāśi, Śrīharṣa, and Gaṅgeśa.
- The metaphysics and philosophy of mind of the Brahmanical schools, with a focus on their views about fundamental reality (brahman) and the self (ātman).
- The metaphysics and philosophy of mind of Buddhist schools, with a focus on the ideas of No-Self, Emptiness, and Dependent Origination.
- The epistemology and logic of philosophers in the Nyāya, Pūrva-Mīmāṃsā, and Buddhist schools.
- The practices and ethical ideas of Brahmanical and Ṡramaṇa schools, including vegetarianism and asceticism.
Learning and Teaching
Teaching and learning methods
Teaching methods include
- Lectures
- In-class discussion
- One-to-one consultation with module co-ordinator
Learning activities include
- Attending classes
- Contribution to class discussion
- Doing independent research for and writing assessed work
| Type | Hours |
|---|---|
| Independent Study | 117 |
| Teaching | 33 |
| Total study time | 150 |
Resources & Reading list
Textbooks
Jonardon Ganeri (2001). Philosophy in Classical India. Routledge.
Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan and Charles A. Moore (1989). A Sourcebook in Indian Philosophy. Princeton University Press.
Roy W. Perrett (2016). An Introduction to Indian Philosophy. Oxford University Press.
Jonardon Ganeri (2017). The Oxford Handbook of Indian Philosophy. Oxford University Press.
Sue Hamilton (2001). Indian Philosophy: A Very Short Introduction. Oxford University Press.
Assessment
Assessment strategy
For MA students taking this module, expectations will be significantly higher than those for year 3 undergraduate students attending the same lectures, and the assessment criteria will accordingly by stricter. In particular students will be required to demonstrate extremely high levels of detailed and accurate exposition, critical engagement, organisation and presentation, with scholarship that draws on appropriate primary literature.Formative
This is how we’ll give you feedback as you are learning. It is not a formal test or exam.
Essay proposal
- Assessment Type: Formative
- Feedback: Written feedback provided with further oral feedback available in advice and feedback hours or by arrangement..
- Final Assessment: No
- Group Work: No
- Percentage contribution: 100%
Summative
This is how we’ll formally assess what you have learned in this module.
| Method | Percentage contribution |
|---|---|
| Essay | 100% |
Referral
This is how we’ll assess you if you don’t meet the criteria to pass this module.
| Method | Percentage contribution |
|---|---|
| Resubmit assessments | 100% |
Repeat
An internal repeat is where you take all of your modules again, including any you passed. An external repeat is where you only re-take the modules you failed.
| Method | Percentage contribution |
|---|---|
| Essay | 100% |
Repeat Information
Repeat type: Internal & External