Facing the Twenty-First Century

The seventeen essays that make up this book formed the basis of a conference on “Envisioning the Potential of Japanese and Chinese Philosophy in the Twenty-First Century” held in Hong Kong in December of 2008. Although Japanese philosophy now enjoys a wide international platform, the focus has been primarily on its encounter with the philosophies of the “West.” Aside from a handful of Chinese and Korean translations and monographs, very little on the subject is to be found in the “East.” In Hong Kong, a city that lies on the edge of the philosophical divide, courses in Western, Chinese, and Indian philosophies are now available in departments of philosophy—but not courses in Japanese philosophy. As we find ourselves facing the twenty-first century, with a concern for plurality and symbiosis emerging on all sides, philosophy cannot afford to lag behind. This volume aims to take a modest step towards addressing the imbalance and stimulating others to carry on with broadening the base of philosophical encounters.