Philosophy - East and West

This volume presents the results of the East-West Philosophers Conference held at the University of Hawaii during the summer of 1939. At this conference, representatives of Orient and Occident were brought together to investigate, through the mediums of per sonal contact, discussion, and formal papers, the meaning and sig nificance of the basic attitudes of these two major traditions. The conference was particularly concerned with the significance of the philosophy of the East for the West. The underlying purpose was to determine the possibility of a world philosophy through a syn thesis of the ideas and ideals of East and West, and to reach con clusions in the form of specific suggestions concerning the most fruitful ways in which such a synthesis could be effected. These conclusions, some of which may appear to be extreme and contro versial but all of which are highly provocative and upon which the several writers do not always agree are here presented in complete detail. Among these is the constant theme that neither. Orient nor Occident is philosophically self-sufficient, each lacking that total perspective which is characteristic of philosophy.