Question Is there any good Eastern Philosophy that is not religiously or mystically inclined? I want to get a good grounding in World Philosophy rather than just Western Philosophy, but in my brief research of Eastern Philosophy it seems to turn into theology.

Accepted:
June 14, 2010

Comments

Your request raises an interesting issue. A great deal of philosophy, east and west, has some of what may be called religious inclinations, as does philosophy out of Africa (pre and post-colonial) and the Americas. But that should not deter you if you are uninterested in such an inclination, as the philosophy that has been generated from Hindu, Buddhist and other traditions in India and China (and elsewhere) contain a massive amount of philosophical arguments that can be engaged from a secular perspective. There are multiple Buddhist arguments about the nature of identity, for example, to delight a secular philosopher who is interested in metaphysics. And Moism in China can provide a good focus if your interest is in ethics and utilitarianism. In terms of access to philosophy from around the globe, I recommend the Blackwell Companion dedicated to world philosophy.

Question Is there any good Eastern Philosophy that is not religiously or mystically inclined? I want to get a good grounding in World Philosophy rather than just Western Philosophy, but in my brief research of Eastern Philosophy it seems to turn into theology. Accepted:June 14, 2010

Question Is there any good Eastern Philosophy that is not religiously or mystically inclined? I want to get a good grounding in World Philosophy rather than just Western Philosophy, but in my brief research of Eastern Philosophy it seems to turn into theology.

Accepted:
June 14, 2010