Addressing Global Crises and Reimagining Solutions through Intercultural Philosophy
My students often ask me whether classical philosophical questions are still relevant at all. Such questions clearly show that many people perceive “purely philosophical” discussions as something superfluous, something alienated from real life and therefore entirely irrelevant. I strongly disagree. Philosophy is not merely a form of intellectual play or a self-indulgent engagement with one’s own thoughts. On the contrary: it is the foundation of all critical thinking.
Comparative Philosophy in an Age of Cultural Chauvinism
My philosophical work is, to put it mildly, all over the map. I work on numerous different philosophical traditions (most recently the Chinese, Mesoamerican, Greek, and Indian traditions), and on numerous different philosophical issues within those traditions. What I’ve never offered in any of my work yet, however, is an explanation of why I insist on working this way, hopping over so many area and disciplinary boundaries. There is purpose behind my philosophical wandering. I’d like to explain at least a little of this here, and why I think the field needs at least a few of us doing this kind of thing.
Comparative Metaphysics of Ethics
Metaphysics has been researched from a variety of perspectives, such as epistemological, dialectical, ethical and historical. My attention is focused on its ethical perspective: why do comparative metaphysics of ethics today?