8. Philosophy Sans Frontières: Analytic and Continental Philosophy—A View from the East

Abstract

This chapter describes both the relationship between Analytic and Continental philosophy, and the relationship between Eastern and Western philosophy in historical terms. It starts by looking at the Analytic/Continental divide in the context of the development of twentieth century Western philosophy. The author divides this into three distinct phases: a constructive phase, a destructive phase, and a phase of fragmentation. This chapter argues that when seen in historical perspective, the supposed difference between Continental and Analytic philosophy is much over-rated. Next, it highlights that the Indian and Chinese traditions clearly have articulations of ethical and metaphysical views: to see this one need look no further than Buddhist metaphysics or Confucian ethics. Finally, the author foresees that in the twenty-first century there will not be just economic globalization, but also the development of a global philosophical culture. Keywords:analytic philosophy; Buddhist; Chinese traditions; Confucian; Continental philosophy; Eastern philosophy; Indian traditions; Western philosophy