General Overview and Requirements:

Look for convergences and divergences between Daoist and pre-Socratic ideas with reference to Heidegger's phenomenology and Derrida's deconstruction. Organize your essay around key topics such as Dao and R6yog , nature (ziran and (P60u;), the void (kong and Kev6g). All papers regardless of what topic you choose must use all second term class readings (Moeller and Buber) plus a selection of at least 5 scholarly secondary sources (from academics in journals and books) as provided. A good paper will use 10 or more scholarly secondary sources, quoting and referring to each of them. The second term essay is relatively simple. Moeller and Buber have already written much of the essay for you.

Essay Topic -

We are reading Moeller's Philosophy of the Daodejing. You could follow Moeller in your own essay, paragraph by paragraph focusing on any theme such as (l) what is Dao or why are yin and yang important. You could describe Moeller in terms of class discussions or a variety of other ideas. You could intersperse comments from other class readings plus a selection of at leastfive scholarly secondary sources such as the ones provided in the course outline. Basically, you are writing an enhanced book review.