Surpassing Traditional Models of Comparative Philosophy: Transcultural Approaches and the Method of Sublation

In recent years, numerous scholars have raised substantial criticisms of the prevailing comparative research methods, particularly in the field of philosophy.

These critiques become especially relevant when examining comparisons that involve ideas, knowledge, or experiences from diverse cultural, linguistic, and historical contexts, as such models often present significant challenges and complexities. This talk examines intercultural philosophical comparison as a systematic endeavor aimed at fostering the inclusion of philosophical traditions in the discourse.

To this end, I will first clarify the distinctions between cross-cultural, intercultural, and transcultural approaches before introducing new methods developed within the framework of "post-comparative philosophy." I will focus on the method of transcultural philosophical sublation, discussing its core features, its mode of operation, and its potential contribution to advancing dialectical approaches in the transcultural exchange of philosophical ideas and knowledge.

This method seeks to uncover common patterns of understanding through conceptual comparisons that are not grounded in an ideal language with a rigid system of meanings and values.

SOAS World Philosophies Lecture 25.

About the speaker

Professor Jana S. Rošker studied Sinology and obtained her PhD degree at the Vienna University. She is the first Slovene Sinologist, co-founder and long-standing Head of the Department of Asian Studies at the University in Ljubljana (Slovenia). Altogether she spent over 10 years in China and Taiwan at several universities and research institutes. Her academic interests include (Post)comparative philosophy, Modern and contemporary Chinese philosophy, Chinese epistemology and logic, and Methodology of transcultural research in Sinology. In these research areas, she has published thirty books, and over two hundred articles and book chapters. She is the chief editor of the journal, Asian Studies, the President of the International Society for Chinese Philosophy (ISCP), and the Co-founder, First President and Honorary Member of the European Association of Chinese Philosophy (EACP). 

Contact

Email: cgcp@soas.ac.uk

This event is online only via Zoom.