Doing Philosophy Comparatively : Foundations, Problems, and Methods of Cross-Cultural Inquiry

What standards should we use to evaluate culturally distinct philosophies? Is language a barrier in our attempts to understand other traditions? How do we avoid our comparisons being biased or generalized?

Doing Philosophy Comparatively answers these questions by providing a thorough overview of the methodology involved in extending philosophy across linguistic and cultural boundaries. It introduces students to the main problems, methods, and approaches of comparative philosophy, showing how to make informed cross-cultural judgments through reflection and practice.

Now thoroughly revised and updated to showcase the most recent developments in the field, this second edition engages students further with philosophies beyond the Anglo-European tradition and features:

· A wider variety of comparative examples from Chinese, Indian, African, and Islamic traditions
· A new section with focused exercises for each chapter, helping students to interact meaningfully with primary texts
· Updated discussion questions and suggested reading sections

With supporting online resources that provide links to reliable translations of the texts and primary sources included in the book, this new edition remains an essential toolkit for the practice of doing comparative philosophy.

“An excellent starting point for anyone interested in the field of comparative philosophy [...] Tim Connolly has established a benchmark for the study of comparative philosophy [...] by offering a clear summary of the key issues and by providing a platform for nurturing future philosophers to think beyond their localized perspectives.” —OCCT Review (of the first edition)

“The author faces the topics [in this book] in a concise but thought-provoking manner ... [and] outlines the discipline in an exciting way ... [A] vibrant introduction to comparative philosophy.” —Journal of East-West Thought (of the first edition)

“In this well-written, jargon-free textbook, Connolly sensitively addresses the worthiness and significance of comparative philosophy while also acknowledging the difficulties that arise from a comparative approach […] Each of the 11 chapters concludes with rich suggested readings and discussion questions that will serve well in classroom settings. This volume marks an extraordinary step forward in comparative philosophy, and this reviewer knows of no better guidebook. An invaluable resource for those pursuing a career in comparative philosophy. Summing Up: Highly recommended.” —CHOICE (of the first edition)