Katedra Azji Południowej Wydziału Orientalistycznego UW serdecznie zaprasza na wykład Prof. Geoffreya Ashtona z University of San Francisco, Department of Philosophy zatytułowany Intellectual History or Philosophical Dialogue? Abhinavagupta on the Nature of Prakṛti in Sāṃkhya and a Reply from Phenomenology of Biology
20 maja 2025 r., ul. Hoża 69, s. 345
Abstrakt:
The 11th century Kashmiri Śaiva philosopher, Abhinavagupta, is often considered a model historian of ideas. Some scholars even take him to anticipate the attitude of contemporary
intellectual historicism: though situated within the Pratyabhijñā school of thought, he is nevertheless hailed as a cautious, perceptive, and sympathetic reader—even of his opponents.
But we should not overlook the instances where Abhinavagupta misinterprets his rivals. And not just this, he appears to do this knowing that more nuanced articulations (of his
opponent’s view) were available to him. For a case study, this talk explores Abhinavagupta’s criticism of the Sāṃkhya concept of prakṛti, and then stages a reply on behalf of
Sāṃkhya through the lens of a phenomenology of biology. Through this dialogue, we not only resuscitate key dimensions of prakṛti that had been lost to history (namely, the history
of philosophy in South Asia). We also find a mirror to ourselves as contemporary scholars of Indian thought. Abhinavagupta may not satisfy the same objective scientific criteria that
guide contemporary intellectual historicism. And this offers clues to how we can re-think what it means to be a scholar of South Asian philosophies.
