THEORETICAL FRAME
Centrality
of
Rationality:
Rationality as the corner stone of
philosophical
engagements,
distinguishes
philosophical
enterprise
from
other
sciences.
Every
episteme
pertaining
social
rationality
to
EASTERN RATIONALITY:
TRENDS & RELEVANCE
IN A TECHNOCRATIC
SOCIETY
or
specific
INTERNATIONAL SEMINAR
JANUARY 19-21, 2012
Call for Papers
philosophical traditions foregrounds
a ‘world outlook’ along with its
‘form of life’. It is positioned in a
cultural ethos favoured by ethical
DEPARTMENT OF PHILOSOPHY
ARUL ANANDAR AUTONOMOUS COLLEGE
Karumathur 524 414, Madurai - Tamilnadu
orientations.
Different Patterns of Rationality: If a serious revisiting of the rational trends of
both European and Asian traditions were to be done, then one can
situate diverse patterns of rationalities and their epistemological
justifications embedded in corresponding cultural ethos/ethics. The
patterns may be posited as: the Greek Rationality, the European
Rationality, the Continental Rationality, and Modernist Rationality (Enlightenment
Rationality) and so on.
Within Asian/Indian Traditions interestingly different schools of thought propose
typologies of rationalities. Each one tries to justify itself on specific epistemological
and metaphysical scales which in turn promote specific ethical directions. The
Vedic rationality is distinguishable from Vedantic; the Vedantic rationalities differ
from their allied traditions. Equally significant are the Buddhist, the Jain, the Saiva,
the Vaishnava and many other popular traditions that conceive diverse patterns of
rationalities and most of them are oriented towards the affirmation of life and the
divinity in life.
Rationality as Social Constructions: Specific rational grounds of philosophical
trends are the perspectives that justify and explain the grounds for their
corresponding types of societies. For instance, the Greek Platonic Rationality is but
the rational ground for the Platonic Form of Society; the modern European
rationalities justify the formation and construction of a reason-science-technology
based society. Eastern rationalities divergent they are, correspondingly project
divergent cultures, ethnicities and social formations. Hence, a study of these
rationalities which construe technocracy in terms of their traditions offers rich
potentials to address the problems of technocracy and is quite a justifiable research
direction.
The late modern or post colonial society by its ‘way of life’ and profit orientations
is largely a product of modernist rationalities that have their deep cultural roots in
the European philosophical traditions. The form of life it has cumulatively projected
is but a technological society but unfortunately it is ‘progressive’ towards a
technocratic society. Thus, in the long run, there is a shift from Life/Nature based
social living to Aristocracy mediated through Theocracy; from Aristocracy to
Democracy based on scientific rationality. At present the shift is from Democracy
to Technocracy or technocratic forms of life and correspondingly the sight of the
human, in relation with the other humans and nature is lost. These shifts in
paradigms of rationality and societies are often deemed development. But what has
resulted is that (i) (we are) politically democratic, but (ii) increasingly technocratic
to the extent of the Abolition of the multiplicity of rationalities and their ethical
ethos and (iii) we are faced with a serious sense of erasure of meaning that is
constructive of sustainability/sensibility of life-forms; relationality among the
fellow humans on the basis of right ethics and the appreciation of the ‘spiritual’ in
human seems are at stake. Hence, people are faced with the central issue of
revisiting the foundations of rationalities that are life-negating and alternatively
look towards the reconstructions of ethical rationalities that are life affirming. This
is the how and the why of this international Seminar.
Integral Formation through Philosophy Education and Research Communication for Social Transformation
The main queries broadly would include:
 Situating the differentia of rationalities from the Western and Asian
Philosophical Traditions and their ethical Directions;
 Revisiting the specific Asian Philosophical Trends, namely the Eastern
Rationalities and interpretatively engage in a symbiosis between rationality
and ethics pertaining to each traditions as to pave way for life-affirmations as
against life-negating technocratic rationality;
 Suggesting positive world outlooks unearthed from Asian/Indian traditions.
Of course, one might employ critiques of enlightenment rationalities, using
the recent trends in continental philosophies as a response to the problematic
of technocratic rationality.
The real issue therefore, is: Philosophical Engagement of Technocratic
Rationality and/Vs. Eastern Rationalities and the Indian Philosophical cum
Social Questions for/or/against the technological society.
Objectives of the Seminar Interactions
 to highlight the benefits and problems of technological society;
 to unearth the ethos of Indian Philosophical traditions to respond positively;
 to study Indian/Eastern Philosophical World views as a viable response to the
problems of technological society.
 to augment the viability of Eastern Rationality vs. Technological society
Since the theme is Eastern Rationality and its relevance to a technocratic society
the delegates/ scholars/ resource persons/discussants/participants are invited to
deliberate on the following areas. Suggestively the areas of your choice can address
any of these issues but focused to the central theme:
Integral Formation through Philosophy Education and Research Communication for Social Transformation
Area – I: Problematic and Prospects of
Area V: Technology & Professional Ethics
Technological Society
Suggestively your papers can address any of
Area – II: Philosophical Reading of the
the following sub theme related to the central
Rationalities of Technocracy
theme:
Area–III:
Asian
Traditions/Trends
as
and
a
Indian
Response
to
Area VI: Critique of Applications of
Technology
Technological Society
Area
IV:
Alternate/Subaltern/Gender
Readings of Technology
 Rationality as Philosophically
Problematic
 Ethical Responses to Technological
Society
 Problems of Enlightenment
Rationality and Technocratic Society
 Buddhism and its Response to the
problems of Technology
 Vedic Rationality as Beyond
Rationality
 Vedantic Rationality and
Technological Society
 The Disappearance of the Social and
the Human – Indian Ethical
Orientations
 Response to Problem of Technology
from Saivite and Vaisnavite
Traditions
 The philosophical foundations/roots
of monopolization of Rationality
 European Cultural Rationalities &
Colonial Justifications
 Gender Perspectives: Technology and
Development
 Subaltern (Dalit/Tribal) Perspectives:
Technology and Empowerment
 Indian Modern Thinkers and their
world outlooks and Technological
Society
 Critique of Rationality of Indian and
Western Traditions
 Religious & Cultural Ethos in a
technological society
 Transgressing Metanarratives;
Alternate forms of life
 The Surrender of Cultures to
Technology
 From Tools to Technology to
Technopoly
 Medicine, Scientism, Technologism
 Ideology of Computers, Information
& Communication
 Symbiosis of Tradition &
Technology: How technology is
instrumentalised to retain/return to
the past.
Kindly send your paper by mail
on/before: 10th January 2012
nathanlourdu1960@gmail.com
Mobile No: (0) 95 66 477 696
Fr. M. Peter Amaladoss
Coordinator
Dr. S. Lourdunathan
Head
Rev. Dr. XAVIER VEDAM S.J.
Principal
Arul Anandar (Autonomous) College
Karumathur – 625 514, Madurai Dt, Tamilnadu,
India.
YOU ARE WELCOME
Integral Formation through Philosophy Education and Research Communication for Social Transformation
HEALTH IN
FINGER
TIPS…
The best way to
holistic health –
devoid of
European
chemicals
medicines…
Contact
Mobile No: 9751792898
Rev. Dr. Xavier Vedam SJ
PRINCIPAL
S. Lourdunathan
Head
Integral Formation through Philosophy Education and Research Communication for Social
Transformation