PHIL 241 - Philosophies of India and Tibet

An introduction to the philosophical traditions of India and Tibet focusing primarily on the classical texts of these traditions – the Vedas, Upanishads, Bhagavad-Gita, and the Hindu and Buddist Sutras – as well as the systems of thought they produced. Many of the ideas we will consider will have spiritual as well as philosophical significance. Issues to be explored include the nature of the divine, ultimate reality, the self, happiness, ethics, the just society, knowledge, and spiritual liberation. We will also consider more recent representatives of these traditions, such as Mohandas Gandhi of India and the contemporary political and spiritual leader of the Tibetan People, the Dalai Lama. Comparisons to Western philosophical and religious conceptions will be made where appropriate.

Credits: 4
Terms Offered: As Needed