Acknowledgements
Preface
1. What is Buddhist Philosophy?
2. The Metaphysical Perspective I: Interdependence and
Impermanence
3. The Metaphysical Perspective II: Emptiness
4. The Self
5. Consciousness
6. Phenomenology
7. Epistemology
8. Logic and the Philosophy of Language
9. Ethics
10. Methodological Postscript
References
Index
Jay L. Garfield is Kwan Im Thong Hood Cho Professor of Humanities
and Head of Studies in Philosophy at Yale-NUS College, Professor of
Philosophy at the National University of Singapore, Recurrent
Visiting Professor of Philosophy at Yale University, Doris Silbert
Professor in the Humanities and Professor of Philosophy at Smith
College, Professor of Philosophy at Melbourne University and
Adjunct Professor of Philosophy at the Central University of
Tibetan Studies. Professor Garfield teaches and pursues research in
the philosophy of mind, foundations of cognitive science, logic,
philosophy of language, Buddhist philosophy, cross-cultural
hermeneutics, ethics and
epistemology.
"His valuable new book admirably serves its purpose of helping
analytic philosophers understand some of what Buddhists have
written about the very questions they study. In fact, Engaging
Buddhism goes further, giving strong reasons to believe that
contemporary physicalist philosophers of mind could strengthen
their positions in important ways by drawing on Buddhist thought
and that analytic philosophers more generally can find valuable
insights in the
Buddhist tradition. This book has many strengths. The writing is
crisp, technically precise, yet elegant and engaging... Garfield
has done a wonderful service in producing this impressive and
intriguing book,
which is always interesting and often enjoyable to read and which
can open up new philosophical prospects equally well for both
long-standing and newly minted students of Buddhist thought."
--Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews Online
"This book has been much needed, even if many have not realized the
need. Writing from a position of deep engagement with Buddhism and
philosophy, Garfield (philosophy, Yale, Smith, and elsewhere) does
an excellent job explicating central Buddhist concepts and relating
them to Western contemporary and historical philosophical concepts
and problems.. Clearly, the book is rich in terms of
breadth...Garfield does an excellent job of balancing rigor,
breadth, and
depth while bringing together two very different traditions. And he
is careful to engage a variety of Buddhist perspectives...Highly
recommended."
-- Choice
"Engaging Buddhism is the most impressive, insightful, informative,
and accessible book I've ever read on Buddhist philosophy...is one
of the most significant contributions to the Western reception of
and engagement with Buddhist philosophy. This book is a must read
for Western philosophers, but also for Buddhist philosophers who
attempt to engage Western philosophy, as this blueprint is
bi-directional." -- Science, Religion & Culture
"Garfield's book is a thought provoking and illuminating engagement
with (mainly Mahayana) Buddhist thought. The chapters on
metaphysics, the self, epistemology and ethics are the most
interesting ones...Another asset of the book is that it moves
beyond a mere scholarly discussion of (the history of) Buddhist
ideas. Chances are high we will see more books engaging with
non-Western thought in the future. Garfield's book is a good
example of successfully doing
this." -- Metapsychology Online Reviews
"...Garfield engages with a wide range of thinkers such as Hume,
Kant, and Heidegger, in order to show the relevance of Buddhist
thought to the history of philosophy itself. By engaging complex
Buddhist thoughts in terms of dialogues relevant to contemporary
western philosophy, Garfield takes the initial steps necessary to
broaden philosophy's global understanding in order to make
cross-cultural philosophical study a reality." -- Graduate Faculty
Philosophy
Journal
"The arguments in Engaging Buddhism are primarily directed toward
professional scholars of Western philosophy, but the implications
of Garfield's work are far-reaching. His concise presentations of
Buddhist views on topics such as interdependence, emptiness, and
the mind are useful for any student or practitioner of Buddhism who
wishes to understand such topics more deeply and in a broader
context. Garfield's discussion of emptiness in the third
chapter is particularly useful for the student of Buddhism." --
Buddhadharma: The Practitioner's Quarterly
Ask a Question About this Product More... |