Non European Philosophy?

[Unome]

In your opinion which philosophies/philosophers are comparable or surpass European philosophies/philosophers?

Just name a few off the top of your head…

[Pjeter Pan]

I took a philosophy class last semester. The philosopher we studied were all European and couple of white Americans. Confucius was mentioned once or twice

I'm sure there's a bunch of Asian philosophers. I just don't know them

[Yehiel]

Maimonides

[Selurong]

Metaphysics - Zen school of Buddhism
Statecraft - Neo Confucian school of philosophy
Spirituality - Sufi mysticism

So much untapped wealth.

[arcticwolf]

Buddhism is the ultimate philosophy, but it's much more than philosophy. Taoism is worth mentioning, but it is more than philosophy.

As far as philosophers go, I don't think anyone has ever surpassed Socrates, he is the ultimate philosopher.

[arcticwolf]

Metaphysics - Zen school of Buddhism
Statecraft - Neo Confucian school of philosophy
Spirituality - Sufi mysticism

So much untapped wealth.

Define spirituality? What does that mean to you?

[Borna]

Immanuel Kant is greatest philosopher ever. No school of philosophy can be compared to him.

[Unome]

Yes Confucius and Buddha are very popular non-European philosophers… any others?

[Armand_Duval]

Nezahualcoyotl (Hungry Coyote) the poet king.

http://www.red-coral.net/Hungry.html

http://www.mexconnect.com/articles/298-nezahualcoyotl-texcoco-s-philosopher-king-1403%E2%80%931473


But there was one exception: a man with the tongue-twisting name of Nezahualcoyotl. (Approximate pronunciation: neza-howl-coyotl.) Luis Valdez, professor of Chicano studies at the University of California at Berkeley, describes Nezahualcoyotl as "a philosopher king, and one of the greatest poets America has ever produced." He was a man who appears almost a precursor of Frederick the Great -- a ruler-philosopher who found time to mingle intellectual pursuits with war and statecraft.





It is wothy you take a look at this:

http://books.google.com.mx/books?id=hTH1jEM2uokC&pg=PA241&lpg=PA241&dq=nezahualcoyotl+the+poet+king&source=bl&ots=C2dqh8GwfX&sig=ij2WIiCLxnPDuNFp-YEDr5s-_sw&hl=es&sa=X&ei=-dKXU-nSC4aVqAb094GYBg&ved=0CD4Q6AEwCA#v=onepage&q=nezahualcoyotl%20the%20poet%20king&f=false

[Breedingvariety]

Philosophy in the most strict sense of the word is European phenomenon. Not because philosophy is ethnocentric or racist, simply because there were no real philosophers in the most strict sense of the word of other than European origin.

[zhaoyun]

Sun Tzu, the type of philosophy I find most useful.

[SardiniaAtlantis]

KidMulat.

[Arcadefire]

Upanyas
vedas


Both deal with art of being one with the nature. Before you read these books, be aware that its not a feel good type of books. They basically tell you that you aint shit, just like every thing else around you. We are all small gears that are interconnected with eachother.

[Breedingvariety]

(IMO) Most important countries in history of Philosophy:
1. Germany
2. Greece
3. Great Britain
4. France

[Borna]

Immanuel Kant never left his home-town and became most popular philosopher of all times.

[Caismeachd]

Sun Tzu, the type of philosophy I find most useful.Carl Von Clauswitz' art of war is superior. Sun Tzu is a lot of very literal stuff that doesn't really accomplish much except inspires 3rd tier management perhaps.

[Breedingvariety]

In your opinion which philosophies/philosophers are comparable or surpass European philosophies/philosophers?
Laozi

As far as philosophers go, I don't think anyone has ever surpassed Socrates, he is the ultimate philosopher.
Ultimate philosophers: Plato, Rene Descartes, Baruch Spinoza, David Hume, Immanuel Kant, Arthur Schopenhauer.

[Hithaeglir]

(IMO) Most important countries in history of Philosophy:
1. Germany
2. Greece
3. Great Britain
4. France

Agreed,but :
1.Greece
2.France
3.Germany
4.Great Britain
:bored:

[Selurong]

Define spirituality? What does that mean to you?

Hmm that's tricky. Now why would I downsize something as deep and sublime as spirituality by defining it by my own narrow perceptions?

[Selurong]

Sun Tzu, the type of philosophy I find most useful.

You should try reading Discourses on Livy by Machiavelli. It's actually not Machiavellian at all and it shows how to attain power and to get it accordingly when one belongs to a Republic.

[Selurong]

Carl Von Clauswitz' art of war is superior. Sun Tzu is a lot of very literal stuff that doesn't really accomplish much except inspires 3rd tier management perhaps.

I read that around 3x and I wondered how I am going to apply river crossings and elevation tactics in everyday life. Then I gave up and then read Discourses on Livy by Machiavelli and it was a more practical read. Art of War by Sun Tzu was so literal.

[Hexachordia]

Mostly normal humans, to find a normal person, automatically ends up find a non-european cool person.

[Linet]

(IMO) Most important countries in history of Philosophy:
1. Germany
2. Greece
3. Great Britain
4. France

Kind of impossible...since if it wasnt for Greece, philosophy wouldnt exist :wink

[Hexachordia]

The western philosophy is mostly propagandas, the way of propaganda, the art of propaganda, the pretensions, the poseurism, the conspiracies, , ,the main feature of western philosophy is that the viciousness is unfathomable.

[Hexachordia]

Since humanism is wrong, communism is wrong, all their revisionisms are wrong too, hard to understand? think this way, we all agree that a murderer is wrong, but, it does not make any person just only for killing that murderer. Therefore, the western philosophy is full of such antithesis, the most notable is capitalism and communism, and their revisionism, all of them are worthless in some point of view, because the artificial doctrines do not make anything revotionary than devising new system to serve all the futile catechism between antithesis and thesis, all can be boiled down anthropocentrism and artificial values, merits.

[Selurong]

Since humanism is wrong, communism is wrong, all their revisionisms are wrong too, hard to understand? think this way, we all agree that a murderer is wrong, but, it does not make any person just only for killing that murderer. Therefore, the western philosophy is full of such antithesis, the most notable is capitalism and communism, and their revisionism, all of them are worthless in some point of view, because the artificial doctrines do not make anything revotionary than devising new system to serve all the futile catechism between antithesis and thesis, all can be boiled down anthropocentrism and artificial values, merits.

I find the Thesis Anti-thesis dichotomy of western philosophy pointless. It sounds so invented, and seriously rightwing politics vs leftwing politics? What? In an everyday situation people apply socialist or capitalist ideas in mere seconds of each other and it doesn't mean they're right wing or left wing. I find the Asian approach of perennialism of adding things up to a whole, more useful than all these fucked up thesis and anti-thesis , right vs left, dualistic thinking crap that sap the minds of most westerners. Holistic thinking guys?!! It's not always about this vs that. God!!!

[Hexachordia]

The western philosophy has long been drawn into juxtaposing different ideas values in conflicting light. The conflict is the core of western philosophy. People become vicious, cankerous, arrogant in such society. If the murderer is wrong, it still cannot make a person good for only killing the murderer, then the murderer is not up to anyones judgement, so why try to creat a social sensation of guiltiness of the murderer? The truth is we are all afraid of the murderer that is all. Our fear, our weakness, our cankerousness are the truth, not somebodys fault, not somebodys wrongdoings will make you a better person.

It is peoples hypocrisy that creats convoluted theories, antitheories, all but decorated masks of inner ugliness: greed, arrogance, fear.

To take off the mask you will find the world is simple for the humanity, yet so complicated only for yourself. This is not a philosophy, this is my world, and your world in my eyes.

In fact, the philosophy of commence is money, greed, the philosophy of war is fear and hate. If you unfold these stuff up, only filth inside.

If you do not consider them as philosophy, they will look like propagandas, so maybe these things are meant to be propagandas, to be called as philosophy is just a pretension to appeal to a bit conscience.

Pretension and Propagandas are the truth of 90% of the worlds philosophy, the most valuable thing of the languages is only many ignored confessions of personal feelings, stories, beliefs. Therefore, a kind person is the highest philosopher, this is also the very close opinion to Buddha.

Confucius is a huge hypocrite, so are many western philosophers.

[Dellingr]

I find the Thesis Anti-thesis dichotomy of western philosophy pointless

You do realize that the dialectic has played an important role in Hindu philosophy and Buddhist philosophy? Most Eastern philosophy uses the dialectic actually.

The dichotomy of left and right wing is not related to the dialectic. It originated from revolutionaries sitting on the left of the National Assembly during the French Revolution. The (false) dichotomy is sustained by the ruling class and presents illusory alternatives when in reality both positions are one and the same.

[Selurong]

You do realize that the dialectic has played an important role in Hindu philosophy and Buddhist philosophy? Most Eastern philosophy uses the dialectic actually.

The dichotomy of left and right wing is not related to the dialectic. It originated from revolutionaries sitting on the left of the National Assembly during the French Revolution. The (false) dichotomy is sustained by the ruling class and presents illusory alternatives when in reality both positions are one and the same.

I realize that. And I also know that the dialectic started out as parliamentary procedure for an opposition to unseat or disprove the government-side as it was in debates between scholastics (I am still a scholastic despite my Asian descent). But this should only be a matter of methodology but not essence. I should not draw my entire politico-philosophical world view on whether I am left-wing or right-wing in my beliefs since said beliefs are merely varieties of human opinions.

And we should destroy this false dichotomy of left-wing vs right-wing, liberal vs conservative thinking because really it oversimplifies a dynamic. I.E: just look at a right-wing Christian. This false dynamic puts him into the far right but chances are a Christian would hold views which belongs to the left (i.e. concern for the poor and propensity towards collectivist action) likewise an Atheist left-wing Communist would also have fundamental beliefs which would belong to the right (for example: Pro government involvement in societal affairs and etc.)

The Left Wing and Right Wing dichotomy is simply a division of convenience during the French Revolution, bloated into some sort of overreaching monstrosity.

A monstrosity which should be struck down.

[Dellingr]

Rejecting the Abrahamic religions has led me to become very interested in Eastern philosophy. There's a lot to learn from the Chinese classics, especially the pre-Qin era books that form the traditional Confucian canon.

[Hexachordia]

I find the Thesis Anti-thesis dichotomy of western philosophy pointless. It sounds so invented, and seriously rightwing politics vs leftwing politics? What? In an everyday situation people apply socialist of capitalist ideas in mere seconds of each other and it doesn't mean they're right wing or left wing. I find the Asian approach of perennialism of adding things up to a whole, more useful than all these fucked up thesis and anti-thesis , right vs left, dualistic thinking crap that sap the minds of most westerners. Holistic thinking guys?!! It's not always about this vs that. God!!!

True, the cancer of the western philosophy is awry paradoxes, sometimes they would make good experiments on paradoxic questions, it is when they made the best philosophical contribution, empericism, experimentalism,pragmatism. However many forgot that paradoxic questions and holistic thinking had been of eastern origin.

Like Buddhist six way of existence, we acknowledge the existences of demons, of humans, of spirits, all unthinkable creatures. It is also our great philosophy to consider a world of coexistence of these different, unthinkable creatures. However, things would go awry from the west, they would fight for some ideas we did not understand, if we do understand, we may scorn them.

[Hexachordia]

Rejecting the Abrahamic religions has led me to become very interested in Eastern philosophy. There's a lot to learn from the Chinese classics, especially the pre-Qin era books that form the traditional Confucian canon.

To be kind I recommend you to learn about Zen buddhism, basic foundation of eastern philosophy is collected under buddhism and some very little known thesises. Like Laozi, Mengzi, they were not meant to be
authoritative theories, just food for thought.

[Dellingr]

To be kind I recommend you to learn about Zen buddhism, basic foundation of eastern philosophy is collected under buddhism and some very little known thesises. Like Laozi, Mengzi, they were not meant to be
authoritative theories, just food for thought.

Thanks. My reading hasn't been as methodical as I would have liked, but I've been working through some Dharmaguptaka texts and the great Rhinoceros Sutra recently.

[Selurong]

Rejecting the Abrahamic religions has led me to become very interested in Eastern philosophy. There's a lot to learn from the Chinese classics, especially the pre-Qin era books that form the traditional Confucian canon.

Oh how fun. Some Asians had embraced your Abrahamic religions like me, I'm Catholic, despite my ancient ancestors being Buddhists

{And they were more trustworthy allies against the Muslims whom they kicked out after the reconquista than our Buddhist ally, China who placed a Muslim on the throne of Malacca when we precisely wanted our own home back from Islamic hands} so much for Buddhist fraternity then...]

But we converted to Christianity due to the backstabbing politics of the Celestial Court then. We asked for help against Hinduism and Islam and in return China appoints a Muslim admiral, Zeng Ho and makes him guard the strait of Malacca FOR PROFIT, while we, the natives of that very place, got the short end of the stick and were forcefully migrated elsewhere.

That's why we eventually went to war against Zeng Ho's fleet.


By the 14th century, this state had grown so powerful militarily and economically, their naval power regularly threatened Chinese Imperial shipping. So much so, that the Chuan-chou gazeeter specifically reported that the Pisheya (Bisaya) [Another term for people from Irong-Irong] consistently made devastating raids against the Empire's commerce

[B]Source: Chuan-chou Fu-chi (Ch.10) Year 1612

Anyhow, I suggest that you continue your studies in Buddhism. Buddha's world-view was highly agnostic and is very good for people like you. However, philosophically, Buddhism is good, but politically, it's not as unified and powerful as Catholicism.

At a time when our old Kingdom of Pannai asked help from Buddhist China to aid us against the islamic threat (that just burned down the Buddhist Pala dynasty of India) they responded by placing a Muslim Zeng Ho on the throne and recognizing the first Sultan of Malacca, Iskander Shah. That's what eventually broke our faith in Buddhism. The denseness of our Buddhist allies and the non-reaction to the Islamic sacking of the Kingdom of Pala.

However, Buddhist philosophy is still good. Especially with their many developed schools ranging from Vajrayana to Zen Buddhism.
You continue studying it and not be afflicted by the political baggage of our historical politics. Being a 3rd person observer means that you can appreciate their teachings without being emotionally involved.

[Unome]

Great suggestions, keep them coming guys! :thumbs

[gnostikos]

I recommend looking into Zhuangzi's philosophy.

[Trogdor]

Confucius and Buddha are the first two that come to mind.