Course Details
Richard Bland College
REL270: Intro-Asian Religion Thought
This course is intended to serve as an introduction to some of the methods, issues, & theories associated within major Asian philosophical religious systems, focusing on Vedantic Hinduism, Early Buddhism, Philosophical Taoism, & Zen Buddhism. Perennial issues which will be addressed include: the Nature of the Sacred, the relationship between the Sacred and: the self, life and death, happiness and meaning, and morality. In addition to the content of the course, students should find the analytic "tools" utilized in the course helpful in all courses of study requiring critical thinking as well as in assessing the plethora of arguments and pseudo-reasoning which pervade everyday life. Films and literature will be utilized to reveal how the themes of the course extend beyond canonical religious texts. Personal reflection and group discussion exercises will also be required.
Overview
Learning Objectives and Outcomes
- Recognize basic patterns of valid and invalid deductive reasoning, and be able to employ these to assess the validity of basic deductive arguments.
- Identify major positions of canonical philosophers within a few major Asian philosophical-religious traditions, including Hinduism, Buddhism, and Daoism (and logical implications of these positions).
- Differentiate Monotheistic from Pantheistic conceptions of “the Sacred”, along with the points of view from these forms of religion on canonical religious themes and issues.
- Summarize and evaluate a standard philosophical argument from a major Asian philosophical-religious tradition.
Where Will This Course Transfer?
| Institution | Identifier | Name | Notes | Level |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paul D. Camp Community College | RELEEE | N/A | Credits may vary at the time of final evaluation. | 2-Year |
| Christopher Newport University | PHIL2XX | Philosophy Elective | 4-Year | |
| Longwood University | RELI2XX | Religion Elective | 4-Year | |
| Radford University | RELN216 | Hinduism and Buddhism in America | 4-Year | |
| The University of Virginia's College at Wise | REL200T | ELECTIVE TRANSFER COURSE | 4-Year | |
| George Mason University | RELI212 | Introduction to Religions of Asia | 4-Year | |
| Norfolk State University | TRNFREE | Transfer Elective | 4-Year | |
| William & Mary | RELG2XX | Transfer Elective Course | Actual transfer credit may vary based on credit earned at host institution. | 4-Year |
| Old Dominion University | REL2ELE | N/A | 4-Year | |
| Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University | RLCL1904 | Religion and Culture In Asia | 4-Year | |
| Marymount University | TRS201 | Understanding Religion | 4-Year |