CFP: What is Comparative Philosophy?

CALL FOR BOOK CHAPTERS

What is Comparative Philosophy?

PUBLISHER: CAMBRIDGE SCHOLARS PUBLISHING, UK

EDITOR CONTACT (for prospective contributors): [email protected]

NOTE: If you have already contributed to this project, please email [email protected] as soon as possible for updates    

Brief Description

The book derives from an international colloquium organised at Wolfson College, Oxford on the theme, ‘What is Comparative Philosophy?’

It will contain a selection of papers structured within an initial outline of, and concluding reflections on, the general problematics of comparative philosophy.  Each paper will be preceded by a brief introductory section.

Among the suggested themes and problems concerning the nature, aims, basis, validity and value of comparative philosophy are:

1.  How to define or characterise comparative philosophy and distinguish it from other forms of philosophical enquiry, practice and scholarship; distinctions, if any, between ‘comparative’, ‘intercultural’ and ‘cross-cultural’ philosophy.

2.  Incommensurability; sceptical views relating to the possibility of valid and meaningful comparison; how comparisons are to proceed; the concept of comparison itself.

3.  Interpreting across cultural, linguistic and historical boundaries; the ‘sins’ of chauvinism, perennialism and oversimplification in the practice of comparative philosophy; different philosophical agendas and the role of bias or prejudice; how to approach texts of different traditions; understanding difference and context; different styles and modes of discourse.

4. The origins and historical development of comparative philosophy; for example the intellectual and cultural encounters between China, Japan, India and Europe.

5. How ‘comparative philosophy’ and ‘philosophy’ itself are practised throughout the non-English-speaking world; issues concerning communication, diversity, open-mindedness and widening philosophical horizons.

6. Pedagogy – how to teach comparative philosophy.

7. Prospects for comparative philosophy – its role, trends and potential.

8. Comparative and non-western philosophy – issues concerning higher education policy, funding and their place within philosophy departments.

    The main body of the book follows the Introduction. The brief introductory sections preceding each paper will consist of a synopsis with some background to, and sketch of, key relevant themes.

The papers may fall within broad categories:

1. Perspectives/ reflections on, or analysis of, comparative philosophy in general (grouped in ‘Part One’).

2.  Approaches to the problematics via specific comparative cases (grouped in ‘Part Two’).

Contributions

Additional chapters are now sought. If you are interested in contributing please contact [email protected]for further information, or send suggested topics/short abstracts.

The timeline for submission of completed chapters is August to October.

 If you have already contributed to this project please email for updates as soon as possible, [email protected]

Thank you

Martin Ovens