Introduction to Korean Philosophy and Culture

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29 ratings

SO JEONG PARK

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Introduction to Korean Philosophy and Culture

Sungkyunkwan University

About this Course

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This course will give you the cultural and historical background to begin your journey into Korean philosophy, and there is no prerequisite knowledge on philosophy required. Anybody who either has an interest in Korean culture, maybe through K-Dramas or K-pop, or an interest in philosophy from a cross-cultural perspective, are all welcome.
Despite the growing interest in Korean culture, there are few courses which explore the fascinating topic of Korean philosophy. On this course, you’ll be introduced to concepts in Korean philosophy through an exploration of the Korean language, culture and perspective.
The Korean cultural, social, and political environment has informed and transformed the intellectual assets of China and the West. You’ll explore the creative tensions that Koreans have experienced, and broaden your worldview as you discover a new philosophical approach.

Flexible deadlines

Reset deadlines in accordance to your schedule.

Shareable Certificate

Earn a Certificate upon completion

100% online

Start instantly and learn at your own schedule.

Beginner Level

Approx. 12 hours to complete

English

Subtitles: English

What you will learn

Compare Korean philosophy with both Chinese philosophy as well as Western philosophy

Explore the field of Korean philosophy and its development through its continued innovation

Discuss the key ideas in Korean philosophical debates, such as the concepts of moral emotions and everyday feelings

Reflect the Korean philosophical traits reflected in Korean language

Skills you will gain

HistoryCultureLanguageKorean philosophyPhilosophy

Flexible deadlines

Reset deadlines in accordance to your schedule.

Shareable Certificate

Earn a Certificate upon completion

100% online

Start instantly and learn at your own schedule.

Beginner Level

Approx. 12 hours to complete

English

Subtitles: English

Instructor

Instructor rating

5/5 (16 Ratings)

SO JEONG PARK

Associate Professor

Korean Philosophy

2,616 Learners

1 Course

Offered by

Sungkyunkwan University

Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU) was established in 1398 as the highest national educational institute in the early years of Joseon Dynasty in Korea. At present with the support of the world-renowned global company Samsung, SKKU is leading the development of higher education in Korea. SKKU actively encourages international collaboration through developing cutting-edge research and educational programs with its global partners.

Syllabus - What you will learn from this course

Week

Week 1

3 hours to complete

What is Korean philosophy?

This week, we’re going to look at what Korean philosophy is, and what makes it different from the Western philosophy that you might be accustomed to. We’ll also be looking at Chinese philosophy in comparison to Korean philosophy, because it has had a large influence on the evolution of Korean philosophy.

3 hours to complete

9 videos (Total 37 min), 2 readings, 1 quiz

9 videos

Welcome from SKKU2m

Course overview3m

What makes up a philosophy?4m

[+] Universality and particularity5m

Western philosophy meets East Asian philosophy5m

[+] From Philosophy to cross-cultural philosophies5m

Chinese vs Korean philosophy4m

[+] The introduction of Chinese characters (Hanja) into Korea4m

Revisiting the content for week 11m

2 readings

Course introduction5m

Reading materials for week 11h

1 practice exercise

What have you learnt this week?20m

Week

Week 2

3 hours to complete

How does Innovation occur at Cultural Boundaries?

This week, we will look at how Koreans formed their own culture and ideas. What we consider to be “Korean” today is the result of their long-standing self-awareness and tenacious practice of reconstructing the cultures from outside. Among them, the Chinese culture had the deepest influence on pre-modern Korea. We will explore ways Koreans have adapted and innovated at cultural boundaries.

3 hours to complete

9 videos (Total 53 min), 1 reading, 1 quiz

9 videos

Influence and innovation5m

[+] Adaptive and disruptive innovation across cultural boundaries7m

[+] The influence of Confucianism on Korean traditional thought4m

Sungkyun, “Learning to be a better person”7m

[+] The meaning of Sungkyun4m

Hangeul, the Korean alphabet7m

[+] Writing systems before Hangeul5m

[+] Three important ingredients of Hangeul9m

Revisiting the content for week 21m

1 reading

Reading materials for week 21h

1 practice exercise

What have you learnt this week?20m

Week

Week 3

3 hours to complete

What are the Core Debates of Korean Philosophy?

This week, we will cover two traits that are often used to describe Koreans: One is “Koreans are affectionate” and the other is “Koreans are argumentative.” We will focus on these two seemingly contradictory characteristics of Koreans and revisit the two famous debates in the history of Korean philosophy: the Four-Seven Debate and the Horak Debate.

3 hours to complete

8 videos (Total 48 min), 1 reading, 1 quiz

Week

Week 4

4 hours to complete

How do you think through Korean Philosophy?

Koreans have developed their way of thinking by innovating on knowledge at cultural boundaries. What they developed are reflected in contemporary Korean language. This week, we are going to talk about the core ideas of Korean philosophy that have endured up till now. We’ll see how we can think differently about the world through these ideas.

4 hours to complete

8 videos (Total 79 min), 1 reading, 3 quizzes

8 videos

[*] Zoom on Maum, mind or heart? 33m

Recap on the topics discussed so far6m

[+] Resistance to dichotomy in the Korean language7m

Different chunking through the Uri-self8m

[+] A closer look at Uri5m

More tips for Korean philosophy7m

Revisiting the content for week 42m

Continuing your journey in Korean philosophy8m

1 reading

Reading materials for week 430m

2 practice exercises

What have you learnt this week?10m

[Final Test] What have you learnt in this course?40m

Frequently Asked Questions

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Will I earn university credit for completing the Course?
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Introduction to Korean Philosophy and Culture

Introduction to Korean Philosophy and Culture