Doing Philosophy Comparatively
Author(s): Tim Connolly
Critics have argued that comparative philosophy is inherently flawed or even impossible. What standards can we use to describe and evaluate different cultures' philosophies? How do we avoid projecting our own ways of thinking onto others? Can we overcome the vast divergences in history, language, and ways of organizing reality that we find in China, India, Africa, and the West?
Doing Philosophy Comparatively is the first comprehensive introduction to the foundations, problems, and methods of comparative philosophy. It is divided into three parts:
- A wide-ranging examination of the basic concepts of comparative philosophy, including “philosophy”, “comparison”, “tradition”, and “culture”
- A discussion of the central problems that arise in extending philosophy across cultural boundaries: linguistic, justificatory, and evaluative incommensurability; projection and asymmetry; and the validity of cultural generalizations
- A critical look at the dominant contemporary approaches to comparative philosophy.
Presenting a basic tool-kit for doing philosophy at the cross-cultural level, this textbook draws on many examples from the past and present of comparative philosophy and engages readers in sustained reflection on how to think comparatively.
Review(s):
“Defending a truly comparative approach to philosophy is more complex than simply dealing with different languages and cultures: most introductions to philosophy include only Western philosophy, thus implying that the major philosophical traditions are to be found in the West. In this well-written, jargon-free textbook, Connolly (East Stroudsburg Univ.) sensitively addresses the worthiness and significance of comparative philosophy while also acknowledging the difficulties that arise from a comparative approach. The basic concepts the author develops can be readily applied to a variety of Western traditions as well as to philosophy in a more general sense. 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. Graduate students, researchers, faculty.” -D. P. Prianti, Gannon University, CHOICE
ISBN: 9781780938394