A new age in the history of philosophy The world dialogue between philosophical traditions

• Published in: Philosophy & social criticism Vol. 35; no. 5; pp. 499 - 516
• Main Author: Dussel, Enrique
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London, England SAGE Publications 01.06.2009; Sage Publications
• Subjects: Dialogue; Eastern civilization; Ethnocentrism; Fornet-Betancourt, Raúl; Historical studies (History of philosophy. History of ideas); History of philosophy; Hountondji, Paulin J; Jabri, Mohammed Abed al; Myth; Narratives; Philosophy; Rationality; Ricoeur, Paul; Western civilization; Eurocentric; Fornet-Betancourt; inter-philosophical; myth; Al-Jabri; dialogue; narrative; rationality; transmodern; Hountondji; Ricoeur; Philosophy history
• ISSN: 0191-4537; 1461-734X
• DOI: 10.1177/0191453709103424

This article argues the following points. (1) It is necessary to affirm that all of humanity has always sought to address certain `core universal problems' that are present in all cultures. (2) The rational responses to these `core problems' first acquire the shape of mythical narratives. (3) The formulation of categorical philosophical discourses is a subsequent development in human rationality, which does not, however, negate all mythical narratives. These discourses arose in all the great urban neolithic cultures (even if only in initial form). (4) Modern European philosophy confused its economic, political and cultural domination, and the resulting crises in other philosophical traditions, with a Eurocentric universality claim, which must be questioned. (5) In any case there are formal universal aspects in which all regional philosophies can coincide, and which respond to the `core problems' at an abstract level. (6) All of this impels entry into a new age of inter-philosophical dialogue, respectful of differences and open to learning from the useful discoveries of other traditions. (7) A new philosophical project must be developed that is capable of going beyond Eurocentric philosophical modernity, by shaping a global trans-modern pluriverse, drawing upon the `discarded' (by modernity) own resources of peripheral, subaltern, postcolonial philosophies.