In these essays, J.L. Mehta, Indian philosopher in whose life and work East and West met profoundly, reflects on the origins and potency of modern hermeneutics and phenomenology, and applies the principles of interpretation to Hindu traditions. These farseeing essays show a hopeful way for non-Western cultures to gain insight into the basic presuppositions of the Western world, and to reclaim their own origins and ways of thinking, and to participate in an emerging planetary thinking.

In recent years, the Austrian School has been an influential contributor to the social sciences. Yet most of the attempts to understand this vital school of thought have remained locked into a polemical frame. The Philosophy of the Austrian School challenges this approach through a philosophically grounded account of the School's methodological, political, and economic ideas. Raimondo Cubeddu acknowledges important differences between the key figures in the School--Menger, Mises and Hayek-- but also finds important parallels between these thinkers. The (...) theory of subjective value and the theory of spontaneous order, which both rest on ideas about the limitations of human knowledge, are the most important of these parallels. Drawn together, these theories represent one of the most original avenues of research in the social sciences and a major reformulation of liberal ideology. (shrink)

Esta aula inaugural, proferida por Raimon Panikkar no Institut Superior de Ciènces Religioses de Vic, em 2002, analisa o problema da irrelevância a que está condenada a teologia nos dias atuais, a marginalização do teólogo e das faculdades de teologia. O texto procura investigar as causas desta lamentável situação e se pergunta pela possibilidade de mudança deste quadro. Organizada a reflexão nestes três pontos, o escrito diagnostica um desvio da rota evangélica como uma das possíveis causas da perda de (...) relevância da teologia. Investigando a interna relação entre filosofia e teologia, o presente texto desvela os distintos aspectos deste matrimônio. Por um lado, chama-se atenção para a confusão entre os domínios de cada disciplina, por outro, reafirma-se a necessidade de um urgente reenlace entre alma e corpo, filosofia e teologia, respectivamente. Além de abandonar o divórcio com a filosofia, para ressuscitar, a teologia cristã, como expressão da religião da Palavra, deve fazer-se cada vez mais ouvinte do Mistério, abrir-se ao símbolo, evitando converter a fé em uma ideologia. Palavras-chave:Teologia; Filosofia; Cristianismo. ABSTRACT The Aula Magna delivered by Raimon Panikkar in the Superior Institute of Religious Science in Vic, in 2002, analyses the problem of irrelevance to which the theology of the present times, the marginalization of the theologian and the faculties of theology are condemned. The text tries to investigate the causes of this lamentable situation and asks about the possibility of changing this state of affairs. Organized as a reflection on these three points, the text diagnoses the straying from the evangelical pathway as one of the possible causes of this loss of relevance of theology. Investigating the internal relationship between philosophy and theology, the present text reveals the distinct aspects of this union. On one side, it calls attention to the confusion of the dominion of each discipline and on the other; it reaffirms the necessity of an urgent reuniting of the body and the soul, philosophy and theology respectively. Besides abandoning the divorce from philosophy, in order to resurrect Christian theology as an expression of the religion of the Word, it must also become increasingly the listener to the Mystery, opening itself to the symbol, avoiding the conversion of faith into ideology. Key words: Theology; Philosophy; Christianity. (shrink)

We should approach this topic with great fear and respect. It is not a merely “academic” issue. Human rights are trampled upon in the East as in the West, in the North as in the South of our planet. Granting the part of human greed and sheer evil in this universal transgression, could it not also be that Human Rights are not observed because in their present form they do not represent a universal symbol powerful enough to elicit understanding and (...) agreement? (shrink)

It is more than a century since what we call the ‘history of religions’ was discovered and has been studied. But only recently have we realized that the ‘geography of religions’ is just as important. East and West are essential geopolitical categories, determined by cultural, historical and even religious differences: an Indian and a Swedish Catholic (both of them members of a minority) display notable religious differences, as great as those that separate an Indonesian from a Saudi Muslim (both members (...) of a majority). The ‘geography of religions’ cannot be ignored. Differences exist but simplifications must be avoided: we have to go beyond the cliché according to which the Orient is mystical and the West pragmatic. Logical thought is no more eastern than western. There is scholastic philosophy in the East as well as the West, magic and rationalism are found everywhere. But as human beings are intrinsically earthbound beings, even though they are more than ‘of this world’, East and West are categories that are not only geographical and historical but also anthropological. There is an East and a West in each of us. That is why it is possible for us to understand each other. (shrink)

Die Beschäftigung mit der Hand des Theodoros Skutariotes wird durch das Fehlen eines von ihm subskribierten Exemplars erschwert. Über seine Tätigkeit als Patriarchatsbeamter, Metropolit von Kyzikos und Chronist hinaus ist Theodoros der Forschung jedoch als Handschriftensammler und -besitzer bekannt. Ausgangspunkt jeder Untersuchung zu seinem Schriftstil sind deshalb die Marginalien der Kodizes, die sich in seinem Besitz befanden. Durch seinen autographen, monokondylischen Besitzervermerk †σϰουταϱϊώτου λευίτου θεοδώϱου† konnten bisher sechs Kodizes seiner Bibliothek zugeordnet werden: 1. Marcianus gr. 450, 9./10. Jh., Photius, Bibliotheca. (...) 2. Parisinus gr. 1741, 10. Jh., Sammlung rhetorischer Traktate. 3. Oxoniensis Cromwell 19, 11. Jh. 2. H., Ioannes Chrysostomus, Homiliae 1–45 in Matthaeum. 4. Athous, Kutlumusiu 15 , 12. Jh., Gregorius Nazianzenus; Ioannes Chrysostomus. 5. Parisinus gr. 1234, 13. Jh. 2. H., Nicetas Choniates, Panoplia Dogmatica. 6. Vaticanus gr. 636, 13. Jh. 2. H., Euthymius Zigabenus, In s. Pauli epistulas. (shrink)

One of the world's most important philosophers of religion reveals the unity of cosmic Mystery in this distillation of the wisdom of the East and West, North and South.

Análisis de las experiencias filosóficas centrales de la civilización de la India clásica. ¿Cómo han «experienciado» el sentido de la vida, de la existencia, o de la realidad, los siglos creadores de aquella cultura? ¿Qué experiencias originarias han dado lugar a la cultura sánscrita? En la respuesta a estas preguntas encontramos la invitación de Panikkar a emprender la más urgente tarea de nuestra época: un cambio radical de civilización o, más aún, antropológico.

The latest volume in the complete works of the internationally renowned philosopher of religion, Raimon Panikkar (1918-2010, ) mines the insights and intertwined aspects of centuries of philosophical and theological thought.

Explores the notion of "sacred secularity," a non-dualistic concept of reality in which everything is interrelated.

Modem scholarship has fairly succeeded in rescuing the term ‘scholasticism’ from its pejorative connotations. But it has not yet attempted, it seems to me, to situate the phenomenon of scholasticism in an overall anthropological setting. A comparative study of eastern and western scholasticisms may help us to acquire a better understanding of the nature of scholasticism and ultimately of the nature of man himself.

Medical practitioners have always been expected to abide by certain standards of conduct and uphold certain values, more or less throughout the world. In this book, besides discussing specific ethical issues, the author ponders questions such as the right to life and the integrity of the human person. Ethics in medicine takes account of the principles that underlie the best decisions, particularly in unusual circumstances – such as a pandemic. Many of these are enshrouded in the oaths most doctors take (...) – the Hippocratic Oath is perhaps the best known, and has influenced numerous others over the centuries. However, these principles and the resulting conduct have taken different directions at various moments in history and in different parts of the globe, though always primarily oriented to the protection of human health. The author compares some interesting similarities and differences, tracing the main social, legal and religious attitudes, in what has come to be known as "medical ethics", with all its benefits to Mankind. Alongside basic human dignity, four main values have been pivotal in medical ethics: Caring for sick people, putting their well-being at the center of concern, and doing good. Not causing harm: never making a patient take risks, and never prescribing a doubtful treatment. Fairness: treating all patients in accordance with their health needs, never favoring or neglecting anyone on the basis of background, occupation, etc. Self-determination: the patient can be informed about treatments and, when possible, should approve the prescriptions. The doctor must show empathy, respect for confidentiality, and responsibility. Briefly, this overview of the medical profession’s ethics focuses on experience, principles, aims, virtues and above all the basic rules which in various places through the centuries have governed the tortuous paths of Mankind. Written by an acclaimed expert in the field, this book is of value for all those working in healthcare, and people interested in its ethics. (shrink)

Raimon Panikkar és, sens dubte, un dels pensadors que més ha contribuït a la reflexió sobre el pluralisme i la interculturalitat, uns conceptes que van molt més enllà de la mera tolerància, d’un relativisme banal o d’un multiculturalisme fàcil. Malgrat la set de comprensió universal, Panikkar considera que no hi ha ni pot haver-hi una única perspectiva humana universal: hi ha invariants humanes, però no hi ha universals culturals. És a dir: tothom menja, és actiu i descansa, però (...) el sentit que es dóna a l’aliment, a la feina i al repòs és molt diferent segons les cultures. I és que tota cultura humana representa d’una manera peculiar i limitada la possible gamma sencera de l’experiència humana en determinades condicions concretes. La persona pluralista fa falsos tots els absolutismes, tots els fanatismes i tots els reduccionismes. (shrink)

L’analyse économique des Autrichiens se fonde aujourd’hui comme hier sur la notion de subjectivisme, dans les deux voies économique et méthodologique héritées de Carl Menger. Aujourd’hui le débat s’est déplacé vers l’analyse des rapports entre éthique et catallaxie, sujet d’autant plus important pour juger des aspects normatifs de la position Autrichienne que les différents représentants de l’école n’y ont pas des positions homogènes. L’auteur se concentre sur les développements de Carl Menger et Friedrich Hayek. Il se fonde sur l’existence de (...) résultats involontaires connexes des actions individuelles volontaires, qui interdisent de statuer sur la justification éthique des institutions à partir du caractère éthique des motivations initiales des agents. In fine l’éthique n’est pas pertinente pour traiter du problème. Marché et éthique interagissent de facon indissoluble et ne se trouvent plus dans une opposition factice, dès lors qu’avec les Autrichiens on délaisse la vision strictement instrumentaliste du marché.The analysis developed by the Austrian school is rooted in subjectivism as expressed by Carl Menger at the twin levels of economics and methodology. Nowadays the debate shifted towards the relationship between ethics and catallactics, a strategic issue conceiving of the normative aspects of classical liberalism where the Austrian themselves do not defend an homogeneous position. The author refers only to Carl Menger and Friedrich Hayek in the paper. He explains that the very existence of unintended consequences of voluntary actions does forbid any ethical analysis of the institutions on the basis of ethical considerations of individual motivations. In fine, ethics is irrelevant to address the question. Market and ethics cannot remain in a kind of opposition, and their relationship can be understood on the basis of their interaction instead, as soon as the instrumentalist vision of the market has been left away. (shrink)