The Foundations of Universal Religions

Slides: 

#11-Foundations of Universal Religions

Lecture:

  • October 16th at 10:30 am
  • Optional Lecture Reading, World History, Chapter 2, pages 38-42.

The Universalism of Buddhism

Slides:

#12-The Universalism of Buddhism

Lecture: 

  • October 18th at 10:30 a.m.
  • Optional Lecture Reading, World History, Chapter 3, pages 85-86; 93-97; Chapter 4, pages 143-145.

Assignments

Research Assignment Step #3 is due October 18th. For more information, see: Step Three: Analysing your primary source

Tutorials this week

Tutorials this week will focus on the topics of “Ancient China”, “Ancient Rome” and “Gender in Classical Civilizations”. 

Readings (all available in Worlds of History):

  • Confucius, “The Analects” (Chapter 4, Reading 1)
  • Han Fei, “Legalism” (Chapter 4, Reading 3)
  • Cicero, “Letter to His Brother Quintus” (Chapter 4, Reading 6)
  • Ban Zhao, Lessons for Women (Chapter 5, Reading 2)

NOTE: Nevada and Eliane have asked that you focus on Ban Zhao’s text for tutorials this week. You will also be learning about citations and footnotes!

Questions to think about:

  • If a ruler put Han Fei’s ideas into action, what would a Legalism state look like? What about the ideas of Confucius? Which philosophy (Legalism or Confucianism) seems more practical in running the Han Chinese empire?
  • What can we learn about men’s and women’s lives in the ancient world from these documents? Do they represent the reality of men’s and women’s lives or do they only reflect how people thought certain groups of men and women should live?