Philosophies of Appropriated Religions

This book brings together different intercultural philosophical points of view discussing the philosophical impact of what we call the 'appropriated' religions of Southeast Asia. Southeast Asia is home to most of the world religions. Buddhism is predominantly practiced in Thailand, Vietnam, Myanmar, Singapore, Laos, and Cambodia; Islam in Malaysia, Indonesia, and Brunei; and Christianity in the Philippines and Timor-Leste. Historical data show, however, that these world religions are imported cultural products, and have been reimagined, assimilated, and appropriated by the culture that embraced them. In this collection, we see that these 'appropriated' religions imply a culturally nuanced worldview, which, in turn, impacts how the traditional problems in the philosophy of religion are framed and answered-in particular, questions about the existence and nature of the divine, the problem of evil, and the nature of life after death. Themes explored include: religious belief and digital transition, Theravada Buddhist philosophy, religious diversity, Buddhism and omniscience, indigenous belief systems, divine apology and unmerited human suffering, dialetheism and the problem of evil, Buddhist philosophy and Spinoza's views on death and immortality, belief and everyday realities in the Philippines, comparative religious philosophy, gendering the Hindu concept of dharma, Christian devotion and salvation during the Spanish colonial period in the Philippines through the writings of Jose Rizal, indigenous Islamic practices in the Philippines, practiced traditions in contemporary Filipino celebrations of Christmas, role of place-aspects in the appropriation of religions in Southeast Asia, and fate and divine omniscience. This book is of interest to scholars and researchers of philosophy of religion, sociology of religion, anthropology of religion, cultural studies, comparative religion, religious studies, and Asian studies.

Autorentext

Soraj Hongladarom is Professor Emeritus of Philosophy and Research Fellow at the Center for Science, Technology, and Society at Chulalongkorn University, Thailand. He is also President of the Philosophy and Religion Society of Thailand. His research is focused mainly on problems arising from the intersection between technology and culture, especially information technology. He is the author of The Online Self, and A Buddhist Theory of Privacy, both published by Springer.

Jeremiah Joven B. Joaquin is Professor of Philosophy at De La Salle University, Manila, Philippines. He has published works on logic, metaphysics, epistemology, philosophy of mind, philosophy of religion, moral philosophy, gender studies, and experimental philosophy. Presently, he is the President of the Philosophical Association of the Philippines, and the founding Secretary General of the Union of Societies and Associations of Philosophy in the Philippines.

Frank J. Hoffmanis Professor of Buddhist Studies at International Buddhist Studies College, Mahachulalongkornrajavidyalaya University main campus in Ayutthaya, and is Affiliated Faculty, South Asia Center, University of Pennsylvania. Frank J. Hoffman received his PhD degree from the University of London, King's College in Philosophy of Religion. He is a Past President of the Greater Philadelphia Philosophy Consortium (PA, DE, and NJ), and has published more than 126 items including books, book chapters, journal articles, encyclopedia articles, and book reviews. Professor Hoffman is an Associate Editor of the journal Asian Philosophy (Taylor & Francis).