Why do philosophy ?
If you are new to philosophy, our four first-year courses all aim to give you an introduction, and to get you thinking for yourselves. One is centred on ethics and politics, one is about the mind, another is about science and enquiry, and another is about the comparisons and contrasts between Chinese and Western thought. Two of these are new courses. All these courses are available to students in different faculties.
If you want to learn some logic, which may sharpen your mind, there is a new course "Elements of Logic" which will be available to students of all years in different faculties.
If you have already studied philosophy and want to take further courses, or to major in the subject, there are lots of possibilities. We are a very varied group of teachers, with different points of view, and a wide range of interests. We give you as students the opportunity to help us decide some of the courses to be put on.
If you are a B.A. student going into the second year, note that your choices include taking a double major, combining philosophy with another discipline (including disciplines from the Social Sciences Faculty, like Psychology, Political Science, Sociology or Economics), as well as the Philosophy and Politics "joint major" programme.
For more information, consult our department's Web site at http://www.hku.hk/philodep/.
THERE are four first-year courses in philosophy with different themes :
07102 Introduction to philosophy: the human mind first semester
Lecturers : Professor Goldstein and Dr Lau
The aim of this course is to provide a general introduction to philosophy, with an emphasis on understanding the human mind and what makes us distinctively human : our ability to communicate, to reason, to judge our own actions and the actions of others, to establish rules for living together. Questions to be discussed include: What is the relation between thinking and speaking ? Could a computer possess understanding ? What kind of mistakes do we make when reasoning, and why do we make them ? What are pains, dreams, thoughts, and what is the difference between creatures that have such things and creatures that don't ? What is a good life ? Should there be limits set to what people should be allowed to say and do in public ? Can we prove God's existence by thought alone ?
Preparatory Reading
The course text is L. Goldstein, The Philosopher's Habitat (London and New York, Routledge, 1990). This text demands no prior knowledge of philosophy, and all or parts of it can be read before the course starts. Other useful introductory texts are Keith Lehrer, Philosophical Problems and Arguments (Indianapolis, Hackett, 1992), and Adam Morton, Philosophy in Practice (Oxford, Blackwell, 1996).
Assessment : one two-hour examination (50% weighting) and coursework (50% weighting)
07103 Introduction to philosophy: ethics and politics second semester
Lecturers : Dr Bell and Dr Ci
In a letter to his student, the famous philosopher Wittgenstein writes, `what is the use of studying philosophy if all that it does for you is to enable you to talk with some plausibility about some abstruse questions of logic, etc., and if it does not improve your thinking about the important questions of everyday life, if it does not make you more conscientious'. This course aims to provide a general introduction to philosophy, but it is especially designed for those who want to think about some of the moral and political issues we face in our lives.
We shall discuss the following questions: What makes a society a just one ? Does political thinking require moral foundations ? Is there a necessary trade-off between freedom and community ? Should men and women be treated equally in social and political life ? Is there an East Asian challenge to Western liberalism ? We will discuss both classical and contemporary approaches to these questions.
Assessment : one two-hour examination (50% weighting) and coursework (50% weighting)
07104 Introduction to philosophy: Chinese and Western thought second semester
Lecturers : Professor Hansen and Dr Ci
This course introduces philosophical thought from both the Chinese and Western traditions. We shall discuss eight philosophers from major movements in the history of philosophy : Plato (Ancient Greece), Mencius (Classical Confucianism), Zhuangzi (Classical Daoism), Nietzsche (Existentialism), Zen (Ch'an Buddhism), Wittgenstein (Positivism), John Dewey (American Pragmatism), and Mao Tse-tung (Chinese Communism).
Assessment : one two-hour examination (50% weighting) and coursework (50% weighting)
Inquiry is one of the most ancient of human activities. Finding out about things is exciting. The systematic forms that inquiry takes are very varied, and it is valuable for anyone to be aware of the range of approaches, and of the philosophical questions that they raise, as well as the lessons that we can learn. The course covers conceptions of inquiry in various sciences from ancient to modern times, and investigates how reason and experience contribute to our understanding of the world and ourselves.
Assessment : one two-hour examination (60% weighting) and coursework (40% weighting)
All first year students are encouraged to learn some elementary logic using the Computer-assisted learning package, Logic Tutor, which was developed in our department. It is available in the department, is easy to use, and should not take more than about four hours in total. In some first-year courses, the examination will include a logic question.
2. Course available to students in the first, second or third year
07123 The elements of logic second semester
Lecturer : Dr Lau
Logic might appear to be dry and difficult, but the truth is that knowledge of logic is a useful practical skill. In everyday life we come across various theories and claims and arguments, and a good logic training can help us evaluate and understand them better. Such practical applications of logic are discussed in the first part of this course, which focuses on how arguments should be formulated and the common mistakes of reasoning. In the second half of the course we shall study formal logic more closely, and learn some of the systems of rules and symbols that logicians have created to systematize arguments and reasoning (More specifically, we will be studying propositional and predicate logic).
There is no prerequisite for this course, and it is open to all first, second and third year students. Remember that the study of logic is not only useful (and necessary) if you go on to do philosophy of language or philosophy of logic. It also improves your critical thinking which is surely important whatever you go on to do in the future.
Texts :
(1) Anthony Weston
A Rulebook for Arguments
Hackett, Indianapolis (1987)
(2) L.T.F. Gamut
Logic, Language, and Meaning Volume 1 : Introduction to Logic
The University of Chicago Press, Chicago (1991)
Assessment : one two-hour examination (50% weighting) and coursework (50% weighting)
TO take second and third year courses, you should normally have taken at least one of the first year courses in Philosophy. To major in Philosophy, you must meet these requirements:
(i) You must take at least eight courses in philosophy;
(ii) these must include at least four nuclear courses,
(iii) including one from each of three groups of courses-
You may also major in a cross-disciplinary programme in Politics and Philosophy of which details are given in another booklet.
ALL second and third year courses in philosophy last from ten to twelve weeks. Most are open to both second and third year students, though, in some cases, prerequisites for taking a course may be specified. There are three different kinds of course-nuclear courses, additional courses and reading courses.
The thirteen nuclear courses are put on regularly and are central to the work of the department. Nuclear courses are aimed at making possible a basic understanding of some main areas of philosophy. Note that there are two courses in the history of philosophy. These are given each year and are designated as second-year courses. They provide a very useful basis for further work in the third year, especially for those students majoring in philosophy.
Additional courses make it possible for teachers in the department to give courses on topics close to their research interests, and for students to follow up topics of special interest to them. Subject to some organizational constraints, the choice of additional courses to be given is determined both by the teachers providing a `menu' in the present booklet, and by students indicating their preferences or suggesting additions to the menu. Please take part in this activity by filling in and returning the form at the end of this booklet.
Certain additional courses which lend themselves to such treatment may be offered as reading courses. This may occur when only a few students are interested in taking a course. In reading courses, no lectures are given, and the course is basically a programme of supervised reading. Second and third year courses usually consist of one or two lecture hours each week.
Tutorials are a very important part of our work. The usual pattern, introduced after an experimental period in which reactions of students and teachers were monitored, provides three individual tutorials for each student in each course, although other patterns are sometimes adopted.
5.Nuclear Courses for 1997/98
A. Second-year Courses
07284 The beginnings of philosophy second semester
Lecturer : Professor Moore
Early Greek thinkers addressed questions which are still important. How should we understand the world in which we live ? And how should we live our lives ? This course is an introductory approach to Socrates, Plato and Aristotle.
Preparatory reading :
Crescenzo, Luciano deHistory of Greek Philosophy (Picador 1990)
Vols. I & II
Assessment : one two-hour examination (75%) and coursework (25%)
07285 Early modern philosophy first semester
Lecturer : Dr James
It is no accident that what we call Early Modern Philosophy started at the same time as modern science, for many philosophical questions arise from the broader aspects of scientific enquiry. Questions such as: `What is the world really made of ?' and `How much of that world can we ever really know ?' set the scene for what have become classic philosophical issues. This course will take a topics-based approach to the history of philosophy in a way which shows the connections between the various early modern philosophers. (This has two advantages: it enables us to rely much less upon the difficult primary texts; and it allows us to see philosophy in action when we compare one philosopher's views on a particular issue with that of another philosopher).
NUCLEAR COURSES
Preparatory Reading :
Two excellent elementary texts cover a lot of ground:
R.S. Woolhouse The Empiricists, and J. Cottingham The Rationalists - both are Oxford University Press paperbacks.
The Blackwell Companion to Philosophy (edited by N.F.Bunnin and E.P.Tsui-James) has useful chapters on Descartes, Spinoza, Leibniz, Locke, Berkeley and Hume.
Assessment : two-hour examination or by dissertation
B. Second/Third-year courses
07295 Chinese philosophy: ethics second semester
Lecturer : Dr Martin
This course looks primarily at classical Confucianism, especially as represented in the Confucian Analects, but with some attention also to Mencius. It is not a course in traditional Chinese scholarship, but instead tries to look at early Chinese philosophy from a modern philosophical and analytical point of view. The main text will be Herbert Fingarette's short book Confucius-the Secular as Sacred. Fingarette argues that Confucius has a major lesson for modern man, a lesson not yet widely understood or adequately appreciated, and that Confucius, accordingly, should be given a more prominent place in modern philosophy. Fingarette's views will be critically discussed, with some attention also given to the question how and to what extent the techniques of modern analytical philosophy can be applied to ancient texts, such as Confucius', which come from a different tradition.
Prerequisites : This course does not presuppose any special background in philosophy or Chinese studies, but might usefully reinforce work in social or political studies, or Chinese studies.
07264 Metaphysics second semester
Lecturers : Dr Chun and Dr Ci
At some point of our life, we might reflect on questions we have never asked, such as whether there is a purpose of the universe, why anything exists at all, or whether there is anything whose existence is permanent. Or we might even ask, by reflecting on reflections, whether these questions are answerable or legitimate in the first place. Nowhere can we find a subject which would as seriously consider these and other related questions as Metaphysics.
Metaphysics concerns (the possibility of explaining) the existence of anything and everything in the universe. Topics for this course will include those mentioned above and the following: Is there anything which does, or even must, exist out there ? Can we explain the nature of our own existence ? Are space and time real ? Can we draw any distinction between reality and appearance ? In addition, we will examine some anti-metaphysical or postmetaphysical ways of thinking, which challenge such concepts as truth, objectivity, essence and universality, and propose alternative accounts in terms of the social construction of "truth," intersubjectivity, structure and relativism. The aim of this course is to present a balanced picture of a variety of philosophical positions on metaphysics, ranging from traditional metaphysics to radical antimetaphysics.
Preparatory reading :
(1) D. W. Hamlyn's Metaphysics (Cambridge University Press,
1984) is a helpful introductory book on some of our topics. (2) Ambitious
students may try Peter Strawson's Analysis and Metaphysics (Oxford
University Press, 1992). (3) Jürgen Habermas's "Themes in Postmetaphysical
Thinking" (Postmetaphysical Thinking, Polity Press, 1992) is a dense,
and yetng" comprehensive, account of the source of a postmetaphysical reaction
to nd yetng" traditional metaphysics.
07242 Philosophy of language first semester
Lecturer : Professor Goldstein
It is hard to imagine how our sciences or culture could have developed the way they have without language. Yet what is a language, and how does language work ? Are natural languages like English different from artificial languages, or other forms of communication ? What is it that determines the meaning of words and sentences ? Does meaning depend on what I have in my mind, or does it relate to social conventions ? How, using language, can we convey more than we say ? We will talk about these and other interesting questions about the nature of language in this course.
07267 Theories of morality first semester
Lecturer : Dr Martin
This course surveys some of the main theories of morality actively discussed in the 20th century. Topics include moral relativism and moral absolutism, theistic and nature-based theories of morality, rational intuitionism, emotive and performative theories, utilitarianism and justice as fairness (Rawls). The pros and cons of each theory will be considered using everyday examples wherever possible. A wider theme will be the question of how, philosophically, one goes about evaluating and justifying a particular moral position. Can morality be made rigorous and scientific? or is it just arbitrary opinion? or something in between ? Why should morality be taken seriously ?
This course does not presuppose any particular background in philosophy and would usefully reinforce other work in political or social philosophy, and to some extent philosophy of language.
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NUCLEAR COURSES
07268 Topics in moral philosophyfirst semester
Lecturers : Dr Ci and Professor Goldstein
This course will deal with practical problems that give rise to moral controversies. Among the questions to be considered are `Should one person treat all others equally ?'; `Is abortion a type of killing, and is it acceptable', `Should certain types of pornography be banned ?'; `Does love require fidelity ?', `Can capital punishment be justified ?'; `Is it right to take affirmative action in favour of groups who have been discriminated against in the past ?'; `Should old people be helped to die, if that is what they wish ?'. These are all `large-scale' questions, but we shall also be discussing less grand, but no less important moral dilemmas that we each confront from time to time.
07327 Seminar in political philosophy first semester
Lecturers :Dr Bell (Philosophy) and
Dr Chan (Politics & Public Administration)
This seminar, taught by staff of the Department of Politics & Public Administration and the Department of Philosophy, provides an opportunity to study in some depth some of the most recent issues and developments in political philosophy. These issues include recent theories of justice, communitarian critique of liberalism, and ethical issues in global politics such as distributive justice between states, justice between generations, environmental ethics, and international enforcement of human rights, and other issues which may be considered appropriate.
In 1997-98 this course will focus more specifically on the East Asian challenge to Western liberalism. We will discuss such topics as the East Asian contribution to the international discourse on human rights and the relevance of liberal democracy in an East Asian context.
This course is intended primarily for students meeting the requirements
specified in the curriculum for the major in Philosophy and Politics; however
the course will also however be available to all second- and third-year
philosophy students.
Examination :There will be no written examination, and grades
for this course will be awarded solely on the basis of coursework.
6. Additional Courses for 1997/98
OF the nine courses described in the following pages, at least four will probably be put on. Courses which may be given as reading courses are marked R, and those examined by dissertation are marked D. Please indicate your own preferences on the form which you will find at the end of this booklet.
07252 Philosophy of the sciences first semester
Lecturers : Professor Goldstein, Dr Lau and Professor Moore
For many people science provides the ultimate standards to measure and evaluate our claims and theories. Yet how is science different from other subject areas such as the humanities ? In the first part of this course we will look at some general issues in science such as the use of thought experiments, the role of simplicity, and the basis of scientific predictions and explanations. We shall then move on to more specific philosophical problems that arise in the particular sciences. Here we shall take into account students' preferences in deciding the topics, but here is a list of possible ones:
- paradoxes and metaphysical consequences of quantum theory,
- the possibility of Artificial Intelligence,
- the relationship between evolution and religion, and
- the coherence of time travel.
Combinations: any, but the course is likely to most benefit those who bring with them expertise in one or more scientific disciplines.
07280 Philosophy and cognitive science second semester
Lecturer : Dr Lau
Although our sciences have given us a lot of knowledge about the universe and the world we are in, the nature of our own mind remains an area about which we know very little. Cognitive Science is the science of the mind and it is an exciting area which has undergone tremendous development in recent years. By building computational models and studying the neurobiology of the brain, cognitive scientists help us better understand issues such as: what is the nature of reasoning and consciousness ? Can we build robots and computers that think and behave like we do ? Do dreams have any function ? How do we acqure a language ? Are we born with any innate knowledge ? We shall be discussing such issues and the conceptual and philosophical questions which they raise.
This is a compulsory course for Cognitive Science students, but it is open to all other students as well who are interested in finding out how the mind works.
Combinations : any, but this course should blend well with The Mind or Philosophy of Language.
Preliminary Reading :
H. Gardner The Mind's New Science (New York, Basic Books, 1985)
J. Leiber An Invitation to Cognitive Science (Oxford, Blackwell,
1991)
S. Pinker The Language Instinct (New York, William Morrow and
Company, 1994)
07229 AristotleRD
Lecturer : Professor Moore
Aristotle is often thought of as the founder of modern knowledge, because he was the first to lay down the groundwork for many of the disciplines we know today, from meteorology to metaphysics, from psychology to political science, from logic to literary criticism, from anatomy to zoology. In this course, we shall explore some of his most well-known ideas.
A useful introductory book about Aristotle is
Barnes, Jonathan, Aristotle, Oxford University Press, 1982
07293 Marxist philosophyD
Lecturers : Dr Bell and Dr Ci
Frustrated by the way people were misunderstanding and misusing his own ideas, at the end of his life Karl Marx is alleged to have declared "I am no longer a Marxist". Those who call themselves Marxists today take a similar line, arguing that Marx's original vision has been grossly distorted over the course of the past 100 years, both in theory and practice. At the very least, it is argued, Marx's ideas can be successfully deployed to criticize the injustices of capitalist societies, and less obviously they can also be deployed to criticize the economic and political practices of so-called "Marxist" regimes. More controversially, Marx's ideas can inspire a morally desirable and politically viable vision of the future.
The first half of the course, to be taught by Dr. Bell, will examine Marx's views on history, alienation, the state, revolution, and communism. An attempt will be made to focus on aspects of Marx's thought which are still defensible today. The second half of the course, to be taught by Dr. Ci, will discuss the ways Marx's ideas were used and misused during the course of 20th century Chinese history.
Preparatory reading : Jon Elster, Karl Marx: an introduction, Cambridge University Press, 1986
07294 Mou Tsung San and Modern Neo-Confucianism first semester
Lecturer: Dr Chun
Facing the challenge of how to assert its own uniqueness without losing fruitful communication with the philosophies of other traditions, the modern Chinese philosophy has reached a phase of self-reflection whose intensity is unprecedented. What is the prospect of the modern Chinese philosophy ? How can it make contributions to philosophy as a whole ?
In this course, we will examine the philosophy of Mou Tsung-San ( 1909-95) against the background of Modern Neo-Confucianism. Mou's philosophical enterprise can be considered as an endeavour to defend and to "update" elements of Confucianism in the face of severe criticisms. We will evaluate Mou's account of the philosophical traditions of the East and the West, and his attempt to reconstruct a version of modern Confucianism by synthesizing elements of the two traditions. In particular, we will critically discuss his interpretation and criticism of Kant's theoretical and practical philosophy (a main source of inspiration for Mou), and his construction of moral metaphysics by the use of "intellectual intuition." We will also investigate his alleged resolution of a long-standing controversy over the possibility of having "sagehood within and kingship without" , a resolution that on his account would open up a new road, congenial to the spirit of Chinese philosophy, to democracy and respect for science.
Primary texts of this course are in Chinese and English. A dissertation may be chosen in lieu of a written examination.
Preparatory reading :
(1) "A Manifesto for a Reappraisal of Sinology and Reconstruction of
Chinese Culture," in Carsun Chang's Development of Neo-Confucianism
(Newe York, Bookman Associates, 1957-62). It is a short but important article,
in which Mou and other Neo-Confucians offer an optimistic vision of the
prospect of the modern Chinese philosophy.
(2) In contrast, Joseph Levenson's Confucian China and Its Modern
Fate ). (Berkeley and Los Angeles, University of California Press,
1968) provides a comparatively pessimistic view.
(3) A useful anthology on the general issues related to this course
is The Triadic Chord (Singapore, The Institute of East Asian
Philosophies, 1991). edited by Tu Wei-ming.
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ADDITIONAL COURSES
07251 Philosophy of Religion
Lecturer : Dr Ci
We shall understand the philosophy of religion in a broad sense so that we can cross over into the sociology of religion and other fields of study when necessary. However, we will for the most part limit our coverage to transcendental or otherworldly religion as represented by the Judeo-Christian tradition. We will examine religion from perspectives that are both internal and external to it, and from both intellectual and existential points of view, with the emphasis on the latter in each case. The questions to be addressed include: Is religion a metaphysical need or a historically contingent one? What are the causes and consequences of the "death of God" and disenchantment? Is religion a necessary foundation of morality and social life? Does religion have a future in the age of "reason," "rationality," and (post-)modernity? We will discuss these and other issues through a study of such thinkers as Spinoza, Kierkegaard, Schopenhauer, Nietzsche, Max Weber, Freud, Simone Weil, as well as some contemporary figures.
07286 PragmatismDR first semester
Lecturer : Dr James
The course will be based on the writings of William James - one of the most interesting and stylish and accessible writers ever to emerge from American philosophy. We will cover the full range of his texts, from his early academic writings to his later popular lectures on religion and psychology. The questions which formed the basis of his work were how human action related to the natural world, and how religion and science attempted in different ways to describe this relation. The further question arises of whether religion and science are therefore compatible or not, and James - very much against the scientism of his times - argued that they were.
The course will appeal to anyone with the slightest interest in the complexities of life.
Texts:James W. Pragmatism
James W. Varieties of Religious Experience
Prerequisites: None
Combinations: Any; and will also be suitable for students majoring in other Arts or Social Science subjects.
07235 Wittgenstein IIR
Lecturer : Professor Goldstein
Wittgenstein said that his aim in philosophy was `to show the fly the
way out of the fly bottle'. By this he meant that certain preconceptions,
oversimplifications and poor analogies had led philosophers to construct
misguided theories about such things as sensation, meaning, understanding
and the nature of language, and that it was his task not to construct alternative
theories but to point out the ways in which the theorists had become entrapped.
This programme may appear modest, but Wittgenstein's approach has had far-reaching
consequences and his work has received more discussion than that of any
other twentieth century philosopher and has influenced philosophy and many
other disciplines.
Text:Wittgenstein, L.Philosophical Investigations, Blackwell,
Oxford, 1953
07291 Zhuangzi second semester
Lecturer : Professor Hansen
In this course we will explore the different lines of interpretation of Zhuangzi's Daoist philosophy. Students will choose to defend either relativist, skeptical or mystical readings of key passages. We will start our analysis with the historical context and some textual theory. Then we will discuss several key chapters in some detail including the historical account of the development of Daoism in "Tianxia" the relativism in "Autumn Floods" and "Free and Easy Wandering" and finally the analytic skepticism and pluralism of the "Essay on Making Things Equal."
Preparatory reading:
Mair, Victor, ed.Experimental Essays on Chuang-tzu
(University of Hawaii Press, 1983)
Examination : The examination paper will be composed of questions chosen from a list made known in advance.
Special Topic: Contemporary challenges to liberalism
Lecturer : Dr Bell
What moral obligations do we have towards each other ? Which ones are matters of public responsibility, to be enforced through governmental institutions ? Liberal philosophers, whatever their differences, typically insist upon the importance of drawing a sharp boundary between private and public responsibilities: the government has an obligation to provide a fair framework for individuals to lead freely chosen lives, but it should stay out of the business of promoting other kinds of responsibilities such as family and religious obligations. This brand of liberalism has become the dominant political philosophy in contemporary Western liberal democracies.
Liberal philosophy, however, is not without its critics. Feminists oppose the way liberal theorists tend to focus on legal discrimination, ignoring the deeper causes of inequality in social and family life. Communitarian theorists argue that liberalism is overly individualistic, and that it neglects the value of community. Non-Western theorists, particularly in East Asia, criticize the liberal tradition of universalist moral reasoning, which typically draws only on the moral aspirations and political practices found in Western societies and ignores the contributions of non-Western cultural traditions.
Following a brief survey of the arguments of major liberal theorists such as John Rawls and Ronald Dworkin, this course will focus on feminist, communitarian, and East Asian challenges to liberalism.
Preparatory reading :
Will Kymlicka, Contemporary Political Philosophy (Oxford, 1990)
Daniel A. Bell, Communitarianism and its Critics (Oxford, 1993)
7. Thesis (07227)
A THESIS may be prepared under supervision for submission not later than March 31st of the final year. Notice of intention to offer a thesis must be given before June 15th of the second year, and this intention will be confirmed or modified on the supervisor's advice by the end of the first week of the first semester of the final year, after the candidate has had the opportunity to do preliminary work over the summer vacation. Work on the thesis will be considered equivalent to a double course and will thus count for two papers in the examination. Only students majoring in philosophy will normally be permitted to offer a thesis.8.Looking ahead to 1998/99
STUDENTS who decide to major in philosophy in 1997/98 will wish to know what will be available for them in 1998/99. (The details which follow may be modified as a result of the continuing process of improving the syllabus.)
At least the following nuclear courses should be available:
07263 Epistemology
Epistemology, or theory of knowledge, is the philosophical attempt to explain the basis of our knowledge (if any), and the limits of our knowledge (if any). Questions to be discussed will include: Does Scepticism make sense ? Is there a foundation for knowledge ? Are coherence theories convincing ? What's wrong with Naturalized Epistemology ? Are there varieties of justification (including input from the sociology of knowledge) ? and What is the role of truth ?
07265 The Mind
What is the nature of the mind and how is it related to the brain ? Is the mind identical to the brain, or is it an immaterial substance ? Or is the mind the software of the brain ? In this course we will look at different theories of the mind, such as dualism, behaviourism, materialism and functionalism. We will also address more specific issues such as: what is thinking and do we always think with images or symbols ? What is consciousness and can it be explained scientifically ? We might also look at other philosophical issues in psychology and Artificial Intelligence.
07270 Topics in Social Philosophy
An investigation of various topics such as the individual's relation to society; the nature of law; rights; freedom; justice and equality.
07269 Theories of Society
The course reviews some important theories about the nature of society, including: anarchist and democratic accounts of political authority; the role of tradition; individualist and holist modes of social theory; historical materialism and other forms of historical explanation.
07296 Chinese philosophy: metaphysics
A comparative study of Chinese and Western theories of reality, language, knowledge, and man's place in nature.
07248 Philosophy of Logic
An investigation of some main notions, such as those of inference, validity, paradox and necessity.
In addition, not more than eight additional courses will be offered. Note that it is unlikely that the same additional course will be given two years running. The additional courses will be chosen from the following list, but those which are offered in this pamphlet, and which may therefore be put on next year, and would in that case not be available in 1998/99, are marked with an asterisk.
Group 1.Philosophical Texts
07289 Confucius
07228 Plato
07229 *Aristotle
07290 Mencius
07291 *Zhuangzi
07230 Descartes
07258 Locke and Leibniz
07231 Hume
07233 Kant's critical philosophy
07293 *Marxist philosophy
07271 Russell
07234 Wittgenstein I
07235 *Wittgenstein II
07236 Sartre and phenomenology
07238 Carnap and Quine
07283 Rorty and neopragmatism
07294 *Mou Tsung San and modern Neo-Confucianism Group
2.Philosophical topics
07245 Philosophy of literature
07246 Philosophy and psychoanalysis
07249 Philosophy of mathematics
0725l *Philosophy of religion
07252 *Philosophy of the sciences
07253 Philosophy of social science
07243 Logic
07244 Moral problems
07255 Utilitarianism
0724l Free will, responsibility and determinism
07239 Aesthetics I
07256 Aesthetics II
07254 Symbolism
07280 *Philosophy and cognitive science
(given every year)
07282 Philosophical Chinese
07286 *Pragmatism
07278 Paradoxes
07287 Philosophy of law
07272 Special topic
POSTGRADUATE STUDY
9. Postgraduate Study
THE department offers two higher degrees by research, the M.Phil and the Ph.D, and can arrange for supervision over a wide range of philosophical topics. We currently have 18 postgraduate students: 10 at Ph.D. level, and there is a regular graduate seminar at which reports of work in progress are presented.
The main areas of research of the current department members are:
D.A. Bell political philosophy, comparative philosophy J. Ci
moral and political philosophy, social criticism L. Goldsteinphilosophy
of logic, philosophy of language, cognitive science, Wittgenstein
C. Hansen Chinese theory of language, classical Chinese philosophy,
Daoism E.P.T. Jameshistory and philosophy of science, James &
Dewey, philosophy of mathematics J.Y.F. Lau philosophy of
mind, philosophy of language M.R. Martinearly Confucianism, moral
& social philosophy, history of early modern philosophy
F.C.T. Moorephilosophy of social science, ethics, philosophy of mind,arly
French philosophy
- 9 -
NAMES AND BIOGRAPHIES
10.Names
THE following names may be useful:
D.A. Bell, B.A. (McGill); M.Phil., D.Phil. (Oxon)
J. Ci, Ph.D. (Edin)
L. Goldstein, B.A. (Liv.); Ph.D. (St. Andrews)
C. Hansen, B.A. (Utah); Ph.D. (Michigan)
E.P.T. James, B.A. (Kent); B.Phil., D.Phil. (Oxon)
(Postgraduate Admissions Tutor)
J.Y.F. Lau, B.A. (Oxon); Ph.D. (MIT)
M.R. Martin, A.B. (Princeton); M.A., Ph.D. (Harvard)
F.C.T. Moore, M.A., D.Phil. (Oxon)
(Head of Department)
J.K.C. Chun, B.A. (HK); M.A., Ph.D. (Toronto)Post-doctoral Fellow
Chu Pa Suen, Vivian, MIL; Dip Trans IoL Executive Officer Lau Tsui
Kwan Tai, Ping Clerical Assistant Wan Li Fung Yi, Loletta Clerk
Chan Ping Hing, Stanley, B.Sc. (Toronto) Computer Technician Cheung
Chun Wai, Stevenson Chairman, Philosophy Society
- 10 -
NAMES AND BIOGRAPHIES
Postgraduate students and tutors may include:
Chan Chi Fu, B.A. (HK)
Chan Chong Fai, B.A. (E. Asia); M.A. (York)
Chan Kai Yan, B.A., M.Phil. (CUHK)
Choi Wai Kit, B.A. (Wisconsin-Madison); M.Phil. (HK)
Chow Hiu Ling, Bess, B.A. (HK)
Fong Chi Wah, B.A., M.Phil. (HK)
Christopher James Fraser, B.A. (Yale); M.A. (Nat Taiwan)
Huen Siu Sing, B.A. (Lond.); M.A. (Leuven)
Leung Chi Keung, Danny, B.A. (HK)
Liang King Hang, B.A. (HK)
Lo Man Chiu, Ll.B. (H.K.); M.A. (Wales); PCLL (HK)
Pang Mei-che, Samantha, B.Phil. (Pontifical Urbanian); M.Sc. (Edin)
Dan Robins, B.A. (McGill)
Geneviève Souillac, B.A. (Sydney); Diplôme d'Etudes Approfondies (EHESS, Paris);
Master of International Studies (Sydney)
To Yiu Ming, B.A., M.Soc.Sc. (Urban Studies) (HK)
Wang Yunping, B.Ed. (Fujian Teachers); M.Phil. (Peking)
Wong Ching Wa, B.A. (HK); M.Litt. (St. Andrews); M.Phil. (HK)
Wong Sze Wai, B.A. (HK)
Wong Wai Yin, Anna, B.A. (HK)
Yu Kam Por, B.A., M.Phil. (HK)
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NAMES AND BIOGRAPHIES
Biographies
D.A. Bell, B.A. (McGill); M.Phil., D.Phil. (Oxon)
Daniel Bell was born in Montreal, Canada, the eldest and most important son of a French-speaking mother and an English-speaking father. He went to McGill to major in psychology, but discovered in his final year that political philosophy is far more intellectually stimulating. From there he went to Oxford to pursue a master's and a doctorate in political philosophy, although his studies were interrupted somewhat when he met a fellow graduate student from mainland China who subsequently became his wife. Nonetheless, a revised version of his doctoral thesis entitled Communitarianism and Its Critics was eventually published by Oxford University Press.
The next stop was The National University of Singapore, where he taught political theory for three years. A co-authored book entitled Towards Illiberal Democracy in Pacific Asia emerged from this experience. After that he spent a wonderful year at Princeton University's Center for Human Values, although truth-seeking activities were once again temporarily put on hold following the birth of a 10 pound 4 ounce son. And now he is honored to serve as a member of the Department of Philosophy at the University of Hong Kong. His impressions of the one on one tutorial system are highly favorable - the tutorial is a wonderful way to get to know students !
Ci Jiwei, Ph.D. (Edin)
I was educated in Beijing and Edinburgh, and then taught in Beijing for six years before taking up fellowships at several American universities and research institutions. My main areas of interest are in moral and political philosophy, with an emphasis on theories of justice. I believe that making sense of morality and moral philosophy itself in their social and historical context is as important as constructing normative and metaethical theories, and for this reason draw on a variety of philosophical traditions in my teaching and research. I am also interested in the rich analytical resources philosophy offers for understanding history and conducting social criticism, and have published a book in this vein, entitled Dialectic of the Chinese Revolution: From Utopianism to Hedonism.
L. Goldstein, B.A. (Liv.); Ph.D. (St. Andrews)
Laurence Goldstein came to Hong Kong in 1976, after teaching at the University of St. Andrews, Scotland. His main area of research at present is the self-referential paradoxes. Most of his postgraduate students work within the general area of the philosophy of logic and language; some have specialized in the study of Wittgenstein, others in the work of Donald Davidson.
Laurence is a competitive oarsman. He also captains the Philosophy Department staff's (always victorious) 5-a-side football team and will accept the challenge of a squash game from any student; loser gives $200 to the winner.
Laurence is currently finishing a book on Wittgenstein, another on paradoxes. He is also helping with the running of the new Cognitive Science programme, having struggled for years against conservative forces to get this course of studies into the University's curriculum.
C. Hansen, B.A. (Utah); Ph.D. (Michigan)
Chad Hansen first came to Hong Kong over thirty years ago where he became fascinated with Chinese language and culture and set out to understand and explain Chinese philosophy. Returning to the United States, he went to University where he majored in philosophy then went to the University of Michigan to study for a Ph.D. He studied Mandarin in Taiwan for a year then returned to Hong Kong after a decade for his dissertation research. He finished his dissertation at the University of Michigan and began teaching philosophy at the University of Pittsburgh in 1972 where he was enlightened two years later.
From there he went to the University of Vermont after the publication of Language and Logic in Ancient China. Later he was selected as University scholar for his second book, A Daoist Theory of Chinese Thought. He has also served as visiting professor at The Universities of Michigan, Hawaii, Hong Kong, UCLA and Stanford before returning to HKU in 1991 where he was appointed Professor in 1994.
He is presently translating the Daode-Jing and writing a book on Comparative East-West Ethics and an introduction to Chinese Philosophy. Besides Chinese philosophy, his main interests are in comparative ethics, philosophy of law, philosophy of language, and philosophy of mind. He values the dynamism of Hong Kong as well as the language and especially the food. He is married to Joyce Wong and has a 5 year old son, James "Hobbes" Hansen.
E.P.T. James, B.A. (Kent); B.Phil., D.Phil. (Oxon)
Eric James came to Hong Kong in 1990. Prior to this he had been a lorry driver, a psychotherapist, a professional musician, and a lecturer for two years at the university of Oxford. Although his initial academic research was concerned with the history and philosophy of mathematics and science, his interests have broadened considerably, as have his teaching areas-both benefiting from H.K.U.'s commendable lack of rigid syllabus restraints. He is presently engaged in a study of pragmatism in all of its forms (historical, `classical' and contemporary) and is preparing an introductory book on the real history of pragmatism.
For the past three years Eric has been engaged in editing a large volume of essays on all aspects of philosophy, The Blackwell Companion to Philosophy. This was published in January 1996, with a Chinese translation forthcoming. An off-shoot of this project has been a growing interest in developing academic links with The Summer School of Philosophy: China, Britain, Australia which is held every year in the P.R.C.
Away from the university Eric tries to recapture his youth in music. His days of playing guitar in front of an audience are over, but he has built a computer-based MIDI recording studio in his home and is on the brink of releasing his first solo effort.
J.Y.F. Lau, B.A. (Oxon); Ph.D. (MIT)
Joe Lau left Hong Kong after `O' Levels and did two years of high school somewhere in Wales. Having read too many books by Paul Davies, he went to Oxford for physics and philosophy, graduating in 1990. While at Oxford, he was hooked on the philosophy of mind, and decided to go to MIT. He wrote his Ph.D. thesis on semantic and psychological issues regarding belief. He finished in 1994 and came back to Hong Kong to join the Department. His research interests include philosophical issues in cognitive science. Other interests include the philosophy of language and the philosophy of science. His general concern is how the scientific image of human beings as natural objects relates to our understanding of ourselves as thinking and conscious creatures capable of right and wrong. When he is not doing philosophy, he likes to watch movies, go hiking, or surf the world wide web.
M.R. Martin, A.B. (Princeton); M.A., Ph.D. (Harvard)
Dr Martin grew up on the relaxed and environmentally pure shores of Honolulu, Hawaii. After receiving his university and postgraduate training on the east coast of the United States, he came to HKU in 1980. His main philosophical interests are moral and social philosophy, and early Chinese philosophy, especially Confucianism. In his teaching Dr Martin's main courses include Topics in Social Philosophy, Theories of Morality, Philosophy East and West: Ethical Topics, and Early Modern Philosophy. Since 1993, Dr Martin has served as the Dean of the Faculty of Arts, after serving five years as Associate Dean. In his leisure time Dr Martin enjoys art collecting, travel and swimming.
F.C.T. Moore, M.A., D.Phil. (Oxon)
My Chinese name sounds like my given name `Tim', and it suggests trying to do something `more' (which also rhymes with my family name). As a student at the University of Oxford, I studied Greek and Latin and Philosophy, but then I went to France to study a French philosopher. While I was a teacher at the University of Birmingham (UK), I also spent three years on secondment teaching philosophy in the Sudan. When I arrived in Hong Kong in 1979 to take up the Chair of Philosophy, it was another new field of activity. We built up the department steadily, in terms of the range of the curriculum and the number of students.
As for my own work, in published books and papers, it ranges widely. I have published books and articles on moral philosophy, philosophy of social science, folklore, the history of French philosophy, computer aided learning, game theory, and various other subjects. My latest book, on the French philosopher Bergson, was published by Cambridge University Press in Spring 1996.
I do not think that we should limit ourselves to a narrow academic view of philosophy. We should do more, intellectually and practically.
11. Staff/Student Consultative Committee
This committee meets regularly to discuss any matters of concern, and to consider ways of improving the work of the department. All students are welcome to make suggestions, and to attend the meetings.