Faith and Reason in Continental and Japanese Philosophy: Reading Tanabe Hajime and William Desmond

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This book brings together the work of two significant figures in contemporary philosophy. By considering the work of Tanabe Hajime, the Japanese philosopher of the Kyoto School, and William Desmond, the contemporary Irish philosopher, Takeshi Morisato offers a clear presentation of contemporary comparative solutions to the problems of the philosophy of religion. Importantly, this is the first book-length English-language study of Tanabe Hajimes philosophy of religion that consults the original Japanese texts. Considering the examples of Christianity and Buddhism, Faith and Reason in Continental and Japanese Philosophy focuses on finding the solution to the problem of philosophy of religion through comparative examinations of Tanabes metanoetics and Desmonds metaxology. It aims to conclude that these contemporary thinkers while they draw their inspiration from the different religious traditions of Christianity and Mahayana Buddhism successfully reconfigure the relation of faith and reason. Faith and Reason in Continental and Japanese Philosophy marks an important intervention into comparative philosophy by bringing into dialogue these thinkers, both major figures within their respective traditions yet rarely discussed in tandem.

Reviews

[B]oth a significant contribution to the dialogue of Western and Eastern thinking, or more specifically to the dialogue of Desmonds metaxological and Tanabes metanoetic thinking, and the philosophical area of comparative philosophy in general. * Religious Studies *
The volume, which is an original contribution to the field of comparative philosophy of religion in its own right, does not only venture to size up and put side by side the intellectual achievements of two contemporary religious thinkers, but it also demonstrates that, despite reports to the contrary, genuine philosophical questioning will always belong, as it always has, with our most sincere and earnest inquiries about the divine. * Religious Studies Review *
In comparing the philosophies of religion by Tanabe Hajime, a founder of the Kyoto School, and William Desmond, the respected western thinker, Takeshi Morisato deftly clarifies with nuance the provocative ideas of both. More importantly, he also sets a course for future philosophizing about the relation between faith and reason. -- Thomas Kasulis, University Distinguished Scholar and Emeritus Professor of Comparative Studies, The Ohio State University, USA
How does reason challenge faith and how does faith determine the limits of reason And how does comparative philosophy, drawing on non-western sources, transform the way we understand the tangled relations between faith and reason, absolute and relative, immanence and transcendence In answer to these questions, this engaging study clears a path through Kants and Hegels dense philosophies of religion and shows how William Desmond and Hajime Tanabe open new and complementary perspectives beyond the impasses in their thought. -- John C. Maraldo, Professor of Philosophy Emeritus, University of North Florida, USA
Morisato presents a clear and compelling argument for rethinking the classical distinction between faith and reason by turning the question away from competing truth claims in the direction of Tanabes metanoetics with the aid of Desmonds metaxology. More than a work of mere comparative philosophy, it succeeds admirably in creating a fresh perspective on the philosophy of religion. -- James W. Heisig, Research Fellow Emeritus, Nanzan Institute for Religion & Culture, Japan

Author Bio

Takeshi Morisato is Post-Doctoral Research Fellow at the Research Centre for East Asian Studies (EASt) and at the Centre Interdisciplinaire dEtude des Religions et de la Lacit (CIERL), Universit libre de Bruxelles, Belgium.