Why Do Dead White Males Dominate Philosophy?

Dead White Males

versus

Dead Brown Males

• Why are the philosophy departments of most universities dominated by Western philosophy?

• Is it because Buddhist and other non-Western philosophies are backward and second-rate, or is it a result of Eurocentric cultural bias by the academics?

• Are all philosophical views just the product of cultural and social factors, or do some of them point to fundamental truths?

• Should Buddhist philosophy be taught anyhow, even if it is irrelevant to modern life, as a token of diversity, affirmative action and inclusion?

• Or can Buddhist philosophy be made attractive to Western academia by showing that it is both relevant and original in its approach?

These topics and more are discussed at Rational Buddhism in the comments on an article by philosophy professor Justin E. H. Smith on Western bias in philosophy.

- Sean Robsville

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