Philosophy 7: Asian Philosophy (Fall 2019) Paper Guidelines 1 Paper #3: Chinese Philosophy You may choose to write about either Confucianism (A) or Daoism (B). (A) Confucianism: Kongzi (Confucius) or Mengzi (Mencius) Choose a passage from one of the primary Confucian texts that we read: The Analects or The Mengzi. Whatever you choose, you must confine your essay to one of our authors’ texts: either Confucius’ Analects or Mencius’ Mengzi. You may choose any passage you like but you may only write within the context of one of the two thinkers. and Analyze and explain it as thoroughly and precisely as you can, staying close to the text of the author you choose (using its terminology, following its reasoning, etc.). This point is important: refer to, quote, paraphrase, and cite Confucius’ or Mencius’ text—his words, his terms, his explanations, his examples, etc.—to aid your explanation of the idea. The closer you stay to the text, the clearer your explanation will be. (B) Daoism: Laozi or Zhuangzi Choose a passage from one of the primary Daoist texts that we read: The Daodejing or The Zhuangzi. Whatever you choose, you must confine your essay to one of our authors’ texts: either Laozi’s Daodejing or Zhuangzi’s Zhuangzi. You may choose any passage you like but you may only write within the context of one of the two thinkers. and Analyze and explain it as thoroughly and precisely as you can, staying close to the text of the author you choose (using its terminology, following its reasoning, etc.). This point is important: refer to, quote, paraphrase, and cite Laozi’s or Zhuangzi’s text—his words, his terms, his explanations, his examples, etc.—to aid your explanation of the idea. The closer you stay to the text, the clearer your explanation will be. Note on Daoism: Remember that these specific texts are notoriously opaque and mysterious, and their purpose seems to be, quite explicitly in some cases, to effect an experiential change in thinking on the part of the reader. So, if you choose this option, give yourself time to let the text affect you and wash over you. It is common that the sense of particular passages vacillates and shifts as one reads them again and again. So try— without trying, of course (i.e., in a wu wei fashion)—to give yourself ample room to maneuver within the text’s mysterious spaces, as Zhuangzi’s butcher’s blade maneuver’s freely within the heavenly contours of the ox’s carcass. Philosophy 7: Asian Philosophy (Fall 2019) Paper Guidelines 2 In these papers, I want you to try to capture the essence of what you choose. You might imagine that what you are trying to do is teach someone what passage means within the context of Confucianism or Daoism. I am looking for in-depth and detailed analysis/explanation. Paper Details Due Date SUNDAY, May 3rd on Canvas by MIDNIGHT Paper Length At least 3 full pages of text (“full” beginning.