The Council for Research in Values and Philosophy, in cooperation with Romanian Academy (Iași Branch) and Alexandru Ioan Cuza University of Iași organizes the international conference Philosophy Emerging from Cultural Traditions and Its Role in a Global Age, June 13-14, 2015 in Iași, Romania.

 

Theme        

Philosophy can be the result of speculative or theoretical thinking, but it also can have roots in cultural traditions. A certain cultural tradition is a very complex milieu constituted by the symbolic codes motivating collective and individual conduct, by means of expressing reality, by the ways of preserving past heritage and by specific spiritual practices. Being the ‘interface’ through witch concrete humans can live their lives, a cultural tradition is also dynamic, reflecting and including continuous changes induced by the new happenings, trends and life experiences, both individual and collective. This dynamic balances the need to preserve a heritage while integrating the novelty leads to reflection, to meditation, and to philosophy. This kind of philosophizing originates in concrete reasons and seeks to provide practical solutions of life. More than that, a major aim of such philosophy is to deliver a comprehensive vision of reality able to address the needs brought by a certain historical time. At times, this kind of philosophy has not been recognized due to ab inadequate hermeneutics which offered too narrow a description of what can be designated as ‘philosophy’.

 

In the Global Age of today, philosophy emerging from cultural and spiritual traditions can play an important role, because it provides much more complex, nuanced and refined solutions for current quests and dilemmas. The reason is that such kind of reflection brings forward values preserved by tradition and the learnings and findings of many generations, but can express their essence in response to the challenges of the moment. Our Global Age calls for global answers, but such answers can be provided only from particular cultural areas, and from philosophies which arise thence. We cannot have unique and univocal answers even if we have now global questions, so it is more than ever necessary to bring together thinkers from every major cultural area in the attempt to build a multi-perspective response to the crises and challenges of today.

 

Philosophers of the world are welcome to join us on the topic “Philosophy Emerging from Cultural Traditions and its Role in a Global Age.”

 

Subthemes

1. Status and role of philosophy emerging from cultural traditions

2. Spiritual practice as source of philosophy

3. Religious role in today’s society

4. Cultural traditions as resources of new scientific insights and explanations

5. Hermeneutic perspectives on tradition as a cultural fact

More information HERE.