Translations or Travesty of Traditions? –S.N.Balagangadhara
In one sense, the title of the piece captures the nature of the tasks facing the contemporary generation, whether in India or in the Diaspora. This generation, unlike many from…
Read moreTo Follow Our Forefathers: The Nature of Tradition –S.N.Balagangadhara
While reading this contribution and all the others ([1], [3]) I hope to write, we need to keep the context in mind. The context is this: many intellectuals, both in…
Read moreWhy Understand the Western Culture?
Let me begin this contribution, the third piece about our culture and traditions([1], [2]), by sharing something you are familiar with. Very often, I have heard the NRI parents in…
Read moreSanskrit Pundits, Indian texts, Colonial Consciousness
1. When we go-about with our fellow human beings, we need to possess some or another idea about the nature of ourselves and our fellow human beings. (Call it, for…
Read moreFamily resemblances, language games, Wittgenstein, and debates on religion
Balagangadhara points out an inconsistent reasoning of the western and westernized Scholars, as well as the last 400 years of humanities scholarship. “Let me summarise the dilemma. Some properties are…
Read moreDo we understand Colonialism?
Colonialism has been one of the most significant phenomena in the history of humankind in the last three hundred years or so. Its importance can hardly be overstated. Yet, as…
Read moreReligious colonialism: Islamic vs. Christian
1. As Indians, if we have to access the Indian traditions we need two things: (a) it must be possible for us to access them; (b) we must know how…
Read moreUnderstanding Buddha and Colonial Consciousness
“How do we understand the idea that an enlightened person has no wants?” Before we understand what the idea says, it would be good to find out what it does…
Read moreAfrican culture, tribes
One of the most common characteristics of the African culture is supposed to be its tribal nature. You could begin a study of ‘how’ European intellectuals came to this characterization.…
Read moreOught one to be generous?
There is ethics in India, but it is not normative ethics. It is a non-normative ethics. To get you going, consider acts like ‘generosity’, ‘kindness’, ‘bravery’, ‘friendliness’ and such like.…
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