A Comparative History of World Philosophy: From the Upanishads to Kant

by Ben-Ami Scharfstein

A Comparative History of World Philosophy presents a personal yet balanced guide through what the author argues to be the three great philosophical Chinese, European, and Indian. The book breaks through the cultural barriers between these traditions, proving that despite their considerable differences, fundamental resemblances exist in their abstract principles. Ben-Ami Scharfstein argues that Western students of philosophy will profit considerably if they study Indian and Chinese philosophy from the very beginning, along with their own. Written with clarity and infused with an engaging narrative voice, this book is organized thematically, presenting in virtually every chapter characteristic views from each tradition that represent similar positions in the core areas of metaphysics and epistemology. At the same time, Scharfstein develops each tradition historically as the chapters unfold. He presents a great variety of philosophical positions fairly, avoiding the relativism and ethnocentrism that could easily plague a comparative presentation of Western and non-Western philosophies.

Genres: Philosophy, Nonfiction, History

704 pages, Paperback

First published February 27, 1998

Reviews

[Bernard English · Rating 4 out of 5]

The emphasis is on the philosophical not the historical so much. Therefore, the comparisons are sometimes very detailed. The afterward in particular makes it clear that Scharfstein make great efforts at coming to his own understanding of the philosophers and didn't only rely on others' accounts. There are many references to the secondary literature but also to the translations of the originals. This is in contrast to the The Sociology of Philosophies: A Global Theory of Intellectual Change, which covers much more ground but forced, Randall Collins, the author, to acknowledge his reliance mostly on the secondary literature. Scharfstein writes in the afterward that since no final agreement on truth has been attained by philosophy, "maybe the transformation that a person undergoes in creating or assimilating philosophy is more important than the abstract truth that is attributed to it." And quoting Wittgenstein in support: "No one can think a thought for me in the way no one can don my hat for me." Anyone interested in philosophy will enjoy his afterward and be inspired to read the whole book. He also includes a pretty detailed bibliography.

[Poiq Wuy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cumple con lo esperado. Hace una selección de corrientes del pensamiento (un tanto arbitraria, como no puede ser de otro modo) y una selección de autores de Europa, India y China que pueden asociarse a cada corriente para compararlos entre ellos. En cada capítulo primero expone el pensamiento general de los autores y luego dedica una sección de comentario más personal a destacar similitudes y diferencias entre ellos; estas últimas son las partes más interesantes del libro. Es un libro extenso, pero que cubre mucho terreno de manera bastante concisa. No hay comentarios novedosos o deslumbrantes, pero tampoco se espera tal cosa de un libro de este tipo.