A Reflection on the Reasons for Rorty's Opposition to Comparative Philosophy

Document Type : Research Paper

Author

Faculty of Theology, College of Farabi, University of Tehran, Qom, Iran

10.22059/jpht.2024.369732.1006009

Abstract

Richard Rorty never limited himself to a single philosophical school. Although pragmatism and analytical philosophy are his primary philosophical concerns and most of his works are in this field, he was never unaware of the possibilities available in other intellectual and even literary traditions to improve and modify his own thinking, and, if possible, to expand them. Rorty has discussed the Western and Greek foundations of philosophy and the negation of Eastern philosophy in general, and Chinese philosophy in particular, without having a racist and hierarchical view to the East like Kant and Hegel. At first glance, Rorty's approach to Eastern thought seems incompatible with the spirit that governs his thinking. Therefore, this question naturally arises for the readers of Rorty's works: how can a thinker who tried to establish a connection between the two continental and analytical philosophical traditions -considering their fundamental differences- and who also spoke about the coexistence of philosophy with literature, while constantly recommending that novels should be used to advance philosophical goals, neglect the possibilities offered by Eastern philosophy? In terms of richness of thought, Eastern philosophy is far superior to his novels. In this article, citing Rorty's works, the reasons for his opposition to comparative philosophy are evaluated.

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References

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Philosophy of Religion
Volume 21, Issue 2
July 2024
Pages 159-171

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