Phil. 4950.

01 Conscience and Heart: Crossing Perspectives

Instructor: Huaiyu Henry Wang (huaiyu.wang@gcsu.edu note the email address

on mycats is wrong!) MW 11:00 am – 12:15 pm Parkhurst II 126
Office Hours: MW 12:50-2 pm, 3:30-4:00pm T 2-5:40pm 317 Terrell Hall or by
appointment

Course Objectives: There is a deep irony in the progress of Western civilization since the beginning of
Renaissance. On one hand, the development of the modern political and economic system is acclaimed for
its respect and espousal for the rights and freedom of individuals. On the other hand, the advancement and
dominance of Western powers have involved colossal human tragedies as caused by imperialism,
colonialism, slavery, segregation, and economic and political oppressions around the world. This apparent
incongruity in the progress of modernity raises profound questions about the meaning of humanity and the
ground of ethics in traditional Western philosophies. This course will pursue a comparative study of the
phenomena of conscience and heart and their relation to the question of ethics in contemporary European
thinking and early Confucian moral teachings. Our investigation will approach the problem of conscience
and heart from two perspectives. We shall first carry out a critical examination of the meanings of
conscience in order to ascertain new possibilities of ethics in the Western intellectual tradition. After that,
we will turn to early Confucian thinking to explore an alternative path of moral cultivation that is not
pivoted on the authority of reason, but the sincerity of heart.

Required Texts

Sigmund Freud, Civilization and Its Discontents, W.W. Norton & Company, 1989
Heidegger, Basic Writings, rev. & exp. Ed. by David Farrell Krell, Harper SanFrancisco,
1993
Mengzi, Mengzi: With Selections from Traditional Commentaries, trans. Bryan W. Van
Norden, Hackett Publishing Company Inc. 2008

1
Huaiyu Wang, “The Way of Heart: Mencius’s Understanding of Justice,” Philosophy
East and West, Vol. 59, No. 3 (July 2009), 317-63 (This article, along with another
article/manuscript of Wang – “What is the Matter with Conscience” will be posted on
Georgiaview).

Course Requirement

Reading and Short Paper Writing (53%)

For many, this course may be sound a little like a course in intensive reading.
Reading philosophical texts is very important and it differs from reading most other
materials. First, you need to read slowly and carefully to understand the basic
meanings and structures of the text. Then, you need to think about why an author
says certain things and find out the basic lines of his or her argument. Finally, you
need to make your own judgment about how important and relevant are the author’s
main points and whether his or her argument is right and sound. You must read the
texts more than once. In this class, I require every student to fulfill the following two
requirements for the sake of developing effective reading skills.
a) Reading cards (8%): Each card should contain two short questions or
comments or one substantially long question or comment about the assigned
reading, with no less than 50 words in total. Each student need to submit a
total of five reading cards through the whole semester. Samples of reading
cards will be shown in the class and posted on Webvista. You can submit the
cards at any time before the beginning of the last class meeting on the text
involved. But you can only submit one card on the reading that is currently
under study and discussion. A card on readings that has already been done is
void. To submit all or most of the cards at the end of semester at once is
unacceptable.
b) Short Paper responses (45%): Each student need to submit a four pages
short paper due at the end of each part of study, with a total of 3 short papers
(out of 4 texts) for the whole semester. The paper should address one set of
questions the instruct assigns for paper topics. These questions can be found
on Georgiaview for two class periods before the due date of the paper. More
detailed instruction for the paper will be discussed in class. You are welcome
and encouraged to discuss the exam questions with your group/classmates.
However, to copy the works and ideas of others (as in wiring) in any form is
strictly prohibited and will result in the same penalty for plagiarism and the
failing grade for the course.
Attendance and participation (7%)
a) Attendance: Prompt attendance is required and more than 2
unexcused absences and repeated lateness will affect your grade
negatively.
b) Participation in class discussions: In this class we will be not
only learning philosophy but also doing philosophy. I expect your
participation and discussion and lack of participation will have negative
impacts on your grade. Please talk to me if you have trouble participating.
Presentation (10%)
Each team will select a best paper to present to the class with another
teammate’s comments within 15 minuets. You will be evaluated according to
the quality of the paper and comments, the effectiveness of presentation,
your responses to questions from the general audience of the class, as well as
your engagement with other groups’ presentation.
Final Research Paper/Take Home Exam (30%)
A final research paper/take-home exam (8 pages) is due at the beginning of class (11
am) on May 3.

2
Note: All assignments are due at the beginning of class on the due date specified. Absences do not change due dates,
nor do absences relieve a student of responsibility for material covered in class while the student is elsewhere. Failure to
complete or participate in the class presentation, group project, any of the short paper, and the final research paper will
result in a “D” for the course, if the total score of the student does not mark an “F” already.
* You must back up your written work with an electronic copy. Failure to keep backups and present them when necessary
will have the same effect on a student’s grade as not completing the assignment.

Late Work: Your work must be completed on time so that it may be shared with classmates for review and grading.
Work handed in late, for which no extension has been granted, may be penalized up to half a letter grade per day for
each day it is late.

Information about the Writing Center: While I am always available to meet with you to give you advice and feedback on your
writing, The Writing Center provides additional, individualized help to GCSU students, with no additional fees. Located in Lanier
209, The Writing Center provides services Monday through Friday. For more information, call 445-3370, or visit online at
http://www.gcsu.edu/acad_affairs/coll_artisci/eng/writing/

Statement on Disabilities
Any student requiring instructional modifications due to a documented disability should make an appointment to meet with me as
soon as possible. An official letter from GCSU documenting your disability will be expected in order to receive accommodations.

Cheating, Plagirarism, and the GCSU Honor Code: Consistent with the “Community Pledge” required of all students (and spoken
aloud at Convocation), any student found guilty of substantiated willful plagiarism will fail the course. Please review the Honor Code
at http://www.gcsu.edu/honorcode.

Note: In case of a fire or a fire drill any time during the semester, remember to walk to the nearest exit. Crawl on the floor in the
event of heavy smoke. Do not use elevators during a fire. Assemble for a headcount once you get out of the building.

Tentative Course Schedule

Dates Readings Remarks

Part One: What is the Matter with Conscience – Reflections on Colonialism
and Imperialism
1/11 Introduction
Wang, What is the matter with Conscience, 1-10; Reading Posted on
1/13
Linze Xu, Lin’s Letter to Queen Victoria Georgiaview
1/18 MLK holiday No Class
Reading Posted on
1/20 Wang, What is the matter with Conscience, 11-25
Georgia view
Part Two: Are Oppression and Repression Essential for Human Civilization?
1/25 Freud, Civilization and Its Discontents, I,
1/27 Freud, Civilization and Its Discontents, II
2/1 Freud, Civilization and Its Discontents, III
2/3 Freud, Civilization and Its Discontents, IV
2/8 Freud, Civilization and Its Discontents, V, VI
2/10 Freud, Civilization and Its Discontents, VII
2/15 Freud, Civilization and Its Discontents, VIII Reading Cards Due
Part Three: The Other Way for the Question of Ethics within the Western
Tradition
Heidegger, The Question Concerning Technology,
2/17 Short Paper Due
BW, 307-318
Heidegger, The Question Concerning Technology,
2/22
BW, 318-328
Heidegger, The Question Concerning Technology,
2/24
BW< 328-341

3
3/1 Heidegger, Letter on Humanism,, BW, 214-226
3/3 Heidegger, Letter on Humanism, BW, 226-237
3/8 Heidegger, Letter on Humanism, BW, 237-251
3/10 Heidegger, Letter on Humanism, BW 252-265
Heidegger, Building, Dwelling, Thinking, BW, 343-
3/15
53
Heidegger, Building, Dwelling, Thinking, BW, 353-
3/17 Reading Cards Due
63
3/22 Spring Break No Class
3/24 Spring Break No Class
Part Four: What Can We Learn from the Confucian Moral Teachings?
Second Short paper Due,
3/29 Wang, The Way of Heart, PEW, 317-332 Text available on
Georgiaview
4/31 Wang, The Way of Heart, PEW, 332-344
4/5 Mengzi, Book 1A – Justice vs. Profits
4/7 Mengzi, Book 1B
4/12 Mengzi, Book 2A
4/14 Mengzi, Book 2B
4/19 Mengzi Book 5B
4/21 Mengzi Book 6A Reading Cards Due
4/26 Class Symposium – Group Presentation Short Paper Due
4/28 Class Symposium – Group Presentation
5/3 Final Discussion, Group evaluation Final Paper Due

A Summary of Appendix

Please find and print the following supplementary documents and other
handouts from the GCSU Webvista when available

Sample Reading Cards

Instruction on Academic Writing
Instruction for the Use of Secondary Sources/References
Scoring Rubrics
Class Presentation Instruction