Lin Ma & Jaap van Brakel 
Fundamentals of Comparative and Intercultural Philosophy 

This innovative book explores the preconditions necessary for intercultural and comparative philosophy. Philosophical practices that involve at least two different traditions with no common heritage and whose languages have very different grammatical structure, such as Indo-Germanic languages and classical Chinese, are a particular focus. Lin Ma and Jaap van Brakel look at the necessary and not-so-necessary conditions of possibility of interpretation, comparison, and other forms of interaction and how we can speak of similarities and differences in this context. The authors posit that it is necessary to dissolve the question of universalism versus relativism by replacing the ideal language paradigm with a paradigm of family resemblances and that it is not necessary to share a common language to engage in comparison. Numerous case studies are presented, including many comparisons of Western and Chinese concepts.

Зміст

Note on Referencing

Symbols and Abbreviations

Introduction



1. Preliminaries—Philosophy and Language

Do We Need a Universal Notion of Philosophy?

Language (Preliminaries)

Linguistic Relativism



2. The Troubled Water of the Ideal Language Paradigm

Specters of the Ideal Language Paradigm

Are There Universals?



3. Universalism and Relativism

Similarities of Universalism and Relativism

Case Study of Color in View of Relativism versus Universalism

The Preconditions of Scientific Knowledge



4. Family Resemblance and De- essentialization

(De-)essentialization of Language and Meaning

Family Resemblance

Family Resemblance across Traditions



5. No Need to Speak the Same Language

The NNSSL- Principle

First Contacts

The Treaty of Waitangi

“A Nice Derangement of Epitaphs”

NNSSL and No Need for a Shared World Either?



6. Conceptual Schemes and Forms of Life

Conceptual Schemes

Form(s) of Life

Similarities and Differences



7. Varieties of Intercultural Philosophy

Terminology

Heidegger’s Asian Connection


Interkulturelle Philosophie

Ethnophilosophy

Comparative Philosophy: Science, Pragmatism, or Anti-philosophy?

Variations of World Philosophy

The
Geyi 格义 Method



8. Constraints in the Era of Globalization Center- Periphery Forces

Standardization and Regimentation of Languages

“Cattle Colors”

Transcendental Pretence

Qing 青 versus Emotion(s)

Globalization Makes the Past Inaccessible

Be(ing)



9. Interpretation Models

Theories of Interpretation

XYZ-Model of Interpretation and Comparison

Underdetermination of Interpretation



10. Necessary Preconditions for Interpretation

Principles of Interpretation

Quasi-Universals

FR- Extension

Final Necessary Preconditions of Interpretation

Truth and Rightness



Conclusion

Notes

Works Cited

Name Index

Subject Index

Про автора

Lin Ma is Associate Professor of the School of Philosophy at the Renmin University of China and the author of
Heidegger on East-West Dialogue: Anticipating the Event.
Jaap van Brakel is Professor Emeritus in the Higher Institute of Philosophy at the University of Leuven and the author of
Philosophy of Chemistry: Between the Manifest and the Scientific Image.