Philosophy Of Religion In Latin America And Europe

The title of this publication suggests a double meaning: on the one hand, most of the contributions outline philosophies of religion relevant for Latin America, without, however, betraying an explicit Latin American perspective. Does not philosophical reason always articulate itself in the same way, whether in Berlin or Rio de Janeiro? On the other hand, the title refers to a specific form of philosophy that has developed regionally and bears explicit traces of its origins that differentiate it from philosophy in Europe. Does not philosophical reason always articulate itself in a specific cultural context? The charm of the book lies in the encounter of these two variants to think philosophically.

The title of this publication suggests a double meaning: on the one hand, most of the contributions outline philosophies of religion relevant for Latin America, without, however, betraying an explicit Latin American perspective. Does not philosophical reason always articulate itself in the same way, whether in Berlin or Rio de Janeiro? On the other hand, the title refers to a specific form of philosophy that has developed regionally and bears explicit traces of its origins that differentiate it from philosophy in Europe. Does not philosophical reason always articulate itself in a specific cultural context? The charm of the book lies in the encounter of these two variants to think philosophically.

This volume contains articles on topics within a variety of disciplines: political philosophy, ethics, history of philosophy, formal logic, philosophy of science and technology, as well as philosophical interpretation of literature. It is relevant to philosophers and researchers in these disciplines. It addresses the question of a genuine Latin American local, national and continental cultural identity being a challenge to philosophy.

This book offers the reflections of Latin American thinkers on the nature of philosophy, justice, human rights, cultural identity, and other issues that have faced them from the colonial period to the present day. Most of the essays are short and easy to read--making them accessible to readers with little or no philosophical background. This book presents readers with philosophical ideas about present-day controversies such as poverty, racism, the equality of women, and the distribution of wealth. For anyone interested Latin American philosophy and the development of philosophy in Latin America.

This introduction provides a comprehensive and accessible overview of the central topics in Latin American philosophy. It explores not only the unique insights offered by Latin American thinkers into pre-established fields of Western philosophy, but also the many 'isms' developed as a direct result of Latin American thought.

This extraordinary book encompasses the time period from the first Christian evangelists' arrival in Latin America to the dictators of the late twentieth century. With unsurpassed knowledge of Latin American history, John Lynch sets out to explore the reception of Christianity by native peoples and how it influenced their social and religious lives as the centuries passed. As attentive to modern times as to the colonial period, Lynch also explores the extent to which Indian religion and ancestral ways survived within the new Christian culture.The book follows the development of religious culture over time by focusing on peak periods of change: the response of religion to the Enlightenment, the emergence of the Church from the wars of independence, the Romanization of Latin American religion as the papacy overtook the Spanish crown in effective control of the Church, the growing challenge of liberalism and the secular state, and in the twentieth century, military dictators' assaults on human rights. Throughout the narrative, Lynch develops a number of special themes and topics. Among these are the Spanish struggle for justice for Indians, the Church's position on slavery, the concept of popular religion as distinct from official religion, and the development of liberation theology.

A landmark in Lascasian scholarship: the work of seventeen scholars, contributions span the fields of history, Latin American studies, literary criticism, philosophy and theology.

Argentinean philosopher, theologian, and historian Enrique Dussel understands the present international order as divided into the "culture of the center" -- by which he means the ruling elite of Europe, North America, and Russia -- and "the peoples of the periphery" -- by which he means the populations of Latin America, Africa, and part of Asia, and the oppressed classes (including women and children) throughout the world. In 'Philosophy of Liberation,' he presents a profound analysis of the alienation of peripheral peoples resulting from the imperialism of the center for more than five centuries. Dussel's aim is to demonstrate that the center's historic cultural, military, and economic domination of poor countries is 'philosophically' founded on North Atlantic onthology. By expressing supposedly universal knowledge, European philosophies, argues Dussel, have served to equate the cultural standards, modes of behavior, and rationalistic orientation of the West with human nature and to condemn the unique characteristics of peripheral peoples as "nonbeing, nothing, chaos, irrationality." Hence, Western philosophies have historically legitimated and hidden the domination that oppressed cultures have suffered at the hands of the center. Dussel probes multinational corporations, the communications media, and the armies of the center with their counterparts among the Third World elite. The creation of a just world order in the future, according to Dussel, hinges on the liberation of the periphery, based on a philosophy that is able to "think the world" from the perspective of the poor and to reclaim the Third World's distinct cultural inheritance, which is imbedded in the popular cultures of the poor. Apart from the liberation of the periphery, there will be no future: "the center will feed itself on the sameness it has ingrained within itself. The death of the child, of the poor, will be its own death." This is a disquieting but stimulating book for scholars and advanced students of philosophy, ethics, liberation theology, and global politics.