ASIAN BEHAVIOR AND THOUGHT
RELIGION 0811 (801)
Spring Semester, 2014
Instructor: Lee Roser
Class Time: MWF, 11:30-12:30
Room: Azabu Hall, 206
Office: Azabu Hall, 6th floor
Office Phone: 5441-9800, ext. 606
Office Hours: Azabu Hall, 6th floor, MWF, 1:30-3:00 PM
e-mail: lroser@tuj.temple.edu [The first letter is a small L]
Prerequisite: none
INTRODUCTION
This is a General Education, Human Behavior course, offering a general
introduction to Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism, Taoism, and Shinto. The focus will be
on universal human concerns as presented in the worldviews of these religions, which
includes their understandings of 1) the predicament of human existence, 2) ultimate reality,
and 3) how one may know or relate to that ultimate reality.
GENERAL EDUCATION PROGRAM GOALS
 Critical Thinking
 Contextualized Learning: understanding historical and contemporary issues in
context
 Interdisciplinary Thinking: understanding and applying knowledge in and across
disciplines
 Communication Skills: communicate effectively orally and in writing
 Scientific & Qualitative Reasoning
 Civic Engagement: function as an engaged citizen in a diverse and globalized world
 Information Literacy: identify, access and evaluate sources of information
 Lifelong Learning: promote a lasting curiosity
HUMAN BEHAVIOR AREA GOALS
 Understand relationships between individuals and communities
 Understand theories or explanations of human behaviour used to describe social
phenomena
 Examine the development of individuals’ beliefs, behaviors, and assumptions and
how these affect individuals and communities
 Apply one disciplinary method to understand human behaviour or explain social
phenomena
 Access and analyse materials related to individuals, communities or social
phenomena
 Compare and contrast similar social phenomena across individuals or communities
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COURSE GOALS & LEARNING OUTCOMES
 Students will be able to demonstrate their knowledge of the basic belief systems of
major Asian religions.
 Students will be able to identify key figures, terms, texts, and concepts, and show
how they fit together into a religio-philosophical system.
 Students will understand how the religious concerns of the different Asian traditions
apply universally to all humans.
REQUIRED READINGS
Textbooks can be purchased online from Amazon or the Nellies bookstore. Please go to
the following URL for book purchase links by course: www.tuj.ac.jp/ug/books You may
also purchase your books from nellies bookstore in room 306B (Azabu hall). The bookstore
will be open the first week of semester between 9am and 5pm.
--Theodore Ludwig, Sacred Paths of the East (NJ: Prentice Hall, 2006).
There is a copy on reserve in the library, or it can be gotten through
amazon.co.jp
--Somerset Maugham, The Razor’s Edge (Vintage International)
This novel is available at Amazon or in the bookstore.
--Three folders on Blackboard: 1) “HINDUISM” 2) “BUDDHISM” and
3) “CHINA & JAPAN”
--Four reading choices on Blackboard for the last writing assignment
Additional Material On Non-Restrictive Library Reserve: The Upanisads (text), Life of
Buddha (DVD)
COURSE REQUIREMENTS
 Three Tests
The course consists of 36 classes, 1 hour each. The first class will be an
introduction; then we will devote approximately one third of remaining class time to
each of these three religion groupings:
a. Hinduism
b. Buddhism
c. China & Japan
There will be an in-class test after completing “a,” another test
after completing “b,” and the final exam will be a test for the “c” group.

Four Writing Assignments
Students will be required to do four writing assignments. Three of them will
be based on readings in the folders and the novel, The Razor’s Edge. The fourth
writing assignment will be based on a reading explained in class and located on
Blackboard. The due date/time for the assignments will be announced in class.
All writing assignments should follow these parameters: Times New Roman,
12 font, 1.5 spacing.
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Late writing assignments will have their grades lowered one step for
each late day (‘A,’ ‘A-,’ ‘B+,’ ‘B,’ etc.). A “late” assignment means an
assignment that is turned in after the due time on the due day.
ATTENDANCE
There will be 36 class meetings. Attendance will usually be taken at the beginning of each
class.
Lateness
 --Lateness is understood to mean being up to fifteen minutes late to
class. Being late three times will equal one absence. Being more than
fifteen minutes late will be considered an absence for that session.
--Once the lecture has begun, the instructor is not responsible for
noticing any student who walks into the classroom late. Therefore, if a
student comes to class late (within fifteen minutes), it would be good
to check with the instructor after class to make sure that the lateness
has been acknowledged.
 Documented excuses for lateness, for example a late-train slip, will be accepted
only twice. After that, a student will be expected to compensate for repeated
lateness -- by taking an earlier train, for example.
Absences
 Being absent more than four times will definitely have a negative effect on a
student’s final grade: minus one point for each additional absence.
 Four absences are allowable for each student. These possible absences are granted
for sickness, hospital stays, funerals, etc. Otherwise, there is no excused-absence
policy.
 Missing eight classes or more will equal an automatic failure.
GRADING
Final grades will be determined as follows:
3 tests --------------------------20% each (= 60 points)
4 writing assignments -------10% each (= 40 points)
From these one-hundred possible points, the final grade will equal the number of
points that a student accumulates by the end of the semester, converted to a letter-grade:
100-93 = A
82-80 = B69-67 = D+
92-90 = A79-77 = C+
66-63 = D
89-87 = B+
76-73 = C
62-60 = D86-83 = B
72-70 = C- below 60 = F


Late Assignments will have the grade reduced one step (‘A,’ ‘A-,’ ‘B+,’ ‘B,’ etc.)
for each day late. (A “late” assignment means an assignment turned in after the due
time.)
Late Tests can be taken by a student who was absent on test day, but only at a time
before the graded tests are returned.
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NOTICES
 Turning-in Assignments
It is preferable to receive assignments in class or on the instructor’s desk. Assignments
sent by email sometimes are not received because of technical problems. However, if an
email assignment is sent, the instructor will rely and confirm receiving it. If there is no
reply, it means it was not receive.
 Plagiarism
As explained in the Temple University Undergraduate Bulletin, plagiarism
and academic cheating are prohibited and can result in a failing grade for
the course. Furthermore, it is required of all instructors to report cases of
plagiarism to the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs. It is to be noted
that plagiarism includes turning in an assignment that contains work copied
from another student.
 Class Etiquette
Leaving the classroom while class is in session is not acceptable except for an
emergency. Permission to leave class may be obtained by raising one’s hand and
requesting it.
 Academic Rights and Responsibilities
Freedom to teach and freedom to learn are inseparable facets of academic freedom. The
University has adopted a policy on Student and Faculty Academic Rights and
Responsibilities (Policy # 03.70.02) which can be accessed through the following link:
http://policies.temple.edu/getdoc.asp?policy no=03.70.02
 Disability Disclosure Statement
This course is open to all students who meet the academic requirements for
participation. Any student who has a need for accommodation based on the impact of a
disability should contact the instructor privately to discuss the specific situation as soon
as possible (within the first week of class). It is the responsibility of the student to
contact the instructor then meet to determine reasonable accommodation based on the
official documentation/accommodation list.
 Taping and Recording of Classes
Recording of this class is permitted for personal use only. Broadcast, dissemination or
transmission of any recording in any form is strictly forbidden, and may result in inter
alia, disciplinary action taken under the Student Code of Conduct.
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COURSE CALENDAR
(HOLIDAY: 2/11, 2/12, 3/20, 2/21, 4/7)
JANUARY 15
Introduction:
Fundamental Human Concerns
17, 20, 22, 24, 27, 29, 31, FEBRUARY 3, 5, 7, 10 -----------HINDUISM
February 14 
Hinduism Test
17, 19, 21, 24, 26, 28, MARCH 3, 5, 7, 10, 12-----------------BUDDHISM
March 14 
Buddhism Test
17, 19, 24, 26, 28, 31, APRIL 2, 4, 9, 11, 14 ------------------CHINA & JAPAN
during Final Exam Week (4/17-23rd) 
China & Japan Test
--Due dates for the four writing assignments will be announced in class.--
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