Chinese Philosophy
Course code
HIL6398.HT
old course code
Course title in Estonian
Hiina filosoofia
Course title in English
Chinese Philosophy
ECTS credits
6.0
Assessment form
Examination
lecturer of 2026/2027 Autumn semester
Not opened for teaching. Click the study programme link below to see the nominal division schedule.
lecturer of 2026/2027 Spring semester
Not opened for teaching. Click the study programme link below to see the nominal division schedule.
Brief description of the course
The course provides an overview of the development of Chinese philosophical schools, religious systems, and practices. It introduces key thinkers, concepts, and textual traditions of Chinese thought.
Students learn to distinguish between different philosophical and religious traditions, analyse their core concepts, and compare Chinese intellectual traditions with analogous phenomena in other cultures. Special attention is given to the syncretic worldview known as the “Three Teachings” (san jiao).
The course also discusses the role of Chinese worldviews in the cultural history of Asia and the wider world.
Students learn to distinguish between different philosophical and religious traditions, analyse their core concepts, and compare Chinese intellectual traditions with analogous phenomena in other cultures. Special attention is given to the syncretic worldview known as the “Three Teachings” (san jiao).
The course also discusses the role of Chinese worldviews in the cultural history of Asia and the wider world.
Learning outcomes in the course
Upon completing the course the student:
- knows the development, main schools, and key concepts of Chinese philosophy and religious traditions;
- distinguishes and compares different schools of Chinese thought, thinkers, and practices, identifying similarities and differences;
- analyses key concepts and ideas in Chinese philosophical texts within their cultural context;
- explains the role of Chinese worldviews (including the concept of the Three Teachings) in the cultural history of Asia and the world;
- applies acquired knowledge in comparative analysis, relating Chinese traditions to analogous phenomena in other cultures;
- argues and expresses their ideas in oral and written form using appropriate academic terminology;
- analyses their learning process and reflects on the relevance of Chinese thought in the contemporary world, identifies principles of environmental perception characteristic of Chinese intellectual history and interprets them in relation to contemporary sustainable development goals.
- knows the development, main schools, and key concepts of Chinese philosophy and religious traditions;
- distinguishes and compares different schools of Chinese thought, thinkers, and practices, identifying similarities and differences;
- analyses key concepts and ideas in Chinese philosophical texts within their cultural context;
- explains the role of Chinese worldviews (including the concept of the Three Teachings) in the cultural history of Asia and the world;
- applies acquired knowledge in comparative analysis, relating Chinese traditions to analogous phenomena in other cultures;
- argues and expresses their ideas in oral and written form using appropriate academic terminology;
- analyses their learning process and reflects on the relevance of Chinese thought in the contemporary world, identifies principles of environmental perception characteristic of Chinese intellectual history and interprets them in relation to contemporary sustainable development goals.
Teacher
Margus Ott
Study programmes containing that course