Advanced Topics in Buddhist Philosophy

Expertise. Each student will shortlist 1-2 topics within Buddhist philosophy that they are interested in developing expertise in for the volume. They will also start working on a Preliminary Reading List that lists the main texts and sources within their shortlisted topics. Note that it is expected at this point for topics to be broad. Some example topics might include: Abhidharma Buddhist metaphysics; Buddhist ethics; Buddhist attitudes to art; epistemology in Yogācāra; Buddhist views on anger. 

Shared Knowledge Base. Based on the intial topics suggested by the class, Dr. Ngaserin will provide a schedule of lectures designed to create shared knowledge base for all students in the course. Additionally, all Preliminary Reading Lists will exist on a shared Google Folder in order to create a shared bibliography for the course. 

Shared Knowledge Base. Dr. Ngaserin will give a series of lectures on the main topics that will be needed for students to productively respond to and provide feedback on their peers' projects. For these lectures, no readings will be assigned. This is because your time outside the course should be spent on developing expertise in your topic.

Expertise. While the lectures are ongoing, you should aim by every meeting to have read 1-2 readings within your shortlist of topics. You should provide updates and comments on the readings you have read in your Preliminary Reading List, and 20 minutes of class will be dedicated to giving individual updates on your reading progress. By the end of Week 3, you should have decided which topic you will be focusing on for the course. By the end of Week 4, you should have read or skimmed at least 10-15 of the prominent readings within your topic.

Expertise. By Week 5, you will have read enough about your topic to be considered the Resident Expert of the class in that topic. In Week 5 or 6, you will be given a 40-minute slot during class to teach a reading that you think is representative of your topic to your peers. You should upload your reading to the course folder a week prior to your teaching slot in order to give your peers time to read it before class.

Shared Knowledge Base. Each teaching slot comes with an assigned reading. You should read it carefully and come prepared to engage with the reading and ask clarifying questions during your peers' teaching slots. 

Expertise. By the last class before the recess break, you will have read enough to know and identify the main points of contention within your topic, your preliminary opinions on the topic, and any noticeable gaps in the research on this topic. Thus, every student will deliver a graded Initial Project Idea Pitch about your potential contribution to the volume. 

With regards to expertise, you will be graded on how compelling your pitch is. This might include considerations like whether the claims you are making about the text or argument or situation in question are plausible, whether the identified stakes ("what is so interesting or important about this?") are well-motivated, etc. You will also be graded on how you respond to questions. This may include being able to give helpful answers to clarify your project, being able to respond charitably and thoughtfully to potential objections or difficulties raised by your peers, etc. 

Shared Knowledge Base. With regards to developing a shared knowledge base, you will be graded on how you pose questions. This may include being able to pose relevant and helpful questions that will aid your coursemates in developing their ideas, being able to raise relevant difficulties and provide thoughtful objections, etc. 

Expertise. Based on your initial project idea pitch, and keeping in mind the feedback from Dr. Ngaserin and your peers during the Initial Project Idea Pitch, you will write a 2500-word literature review about your topic. In this literature review, only address and summarise readings, sources, and key positions that are directly helpful to your project idea. 

Writing. You should begin research and writing for your projects. By the middle of Week 9, you should have a segment of 1500-2500 words to share with your peers for comments and feedback. 

Aspirational Models. The Buddhist Philosophy Speaker Series will commence. These talks will be scheduled during class time, and the aim is for you to get a sense of what makes for a good research project. Additionally, our speakers will offer advice and tips on independent research. If the speaker is also listed as a Course Mentor, you should feel free to contact them after their talks for further advice and guidance on your project. 

Writing. During your WIP session, you will facilitate a discussion about your project for 40 minutes. If the project is an academic essay, you should provide an excerpt of your writing to your peers (1500-2500 words). If the project is in a different format, you should provide an excerpt, sketch, etc. of the project to your peers. The latest this should be uploaded to our course folder is two days before your WIP session.

Aspirational Models. The Buddhist Philosophy Speaker Series will continue to run during these weeks. 

Writing. You will edit your writing based on comments given in your WIP session, and continue to make steady progress on developing a complete draft of your project. 

Aspirational Models. The Buddhist Philosophy Speaker Series will continue to run during these weeks. 

Conferencing. In the middle of Week 13, you will submit the complete draft of your project to Dr. Ngaserin. Based on this complete draft, you will present your project at the Buddhist Philosophy Research Symposium, which will be open to the wider community. 

Editing. Post-conference, you will receive comments and grades for your project from Dr. Ngaserin. You will then be given until the end of the year to submit a final version of the project for the volume. If funds allow, students may also be hired as copy-editors for the volume.

Finally, the book volume will be published by the College, and we will have a small launch event on campus to celebrate its release.