Prajñā Vihāra: Journal of Philosophy and Religion

RACISM AND PHILOSOPHY OF RELIGION: A PLEA FOR A PARADIGM SHIFT IN THE FIELD

2025-07-14T03:06:16+00:00

Renewing philosophy of religion today raises the question of how to overcome racism and epistemic violence toward non-Western philosophical–religious traditions. Concretely, this requires not only describing and including such traditions but more importantly recognizing that they can propose new philosophical and religious insights. This article discusses some recent approaches to the issue from both cross-cultural philosophy and environmental science in dialogue with Indigenous traditions. Overcoming racial prejudices through an endless co-production of knowledge, where each culture is expected to participate as a global witness to the uncertainty of all claims of cultural domination, is defended.

PROCESS THOUGHT, PERFECT BEING THEISM, AND BUDDHISM

2025-07-14T03:29:12+00:00

In both Process Thought and in Buddhism’s anicca and anatta, all things flow, including in Process Thought a developing God co-creative with humans. This contrasts with an internally contradictory concept of Perfect Being God said to be both omniscient and immutable. In Buddhism the four brahmaviharas (“divine abidings”) namely loving kindness, sympathetic joy, compassion, and even-mindedness are processes of happiness allowing application to daily life. Applied to daily life, Process Thought means opportunity for transcending dualistic opposites of true and false. Transcending binary opposites such as true or false, one experiences life as Process, considering rebirth in a causal nexus, one experiences things as flowing and changing in kamma Process. The process of perception includes mind as one of the six senses with corresponding six fields, and in Process Relational Philosophy changing interconnectedness is a key element of all life.

ON SHIKINEN SENGU, THE SHINTO CONSTRUCTION RITUAL AND THE ENVIRONMENTAL PSYCHE

2025-07-14T04:05:12+00:00

This paper explores the relationship between Shinto and environmental consciousness. Shinto is considered the indigenous spirituality of Japan. Unlike Western monotheistic religious traditions, it presupposes no separation between the spiritual and natural worlds. Instead, Shintoism teaches humans as integral parts of nature. One of ways it does this is through its rituals which condition the human psyche to harmonize with the spiritual in nature. This paper focuses upon the ritual called Shikinen Sengu, which is performed at the famous Ise Jingu shrine. The Shikinen Sengu ritual involves the rebuilding of the structure. The process of building and rebuilding conditions the human psyche to be sensitive to the spiritual aspects of the environment. This ensures not only the renewal of the shrine, but the renewal of environmental consciousness through the generations.

THE VIPASSANA MEDITATION TECHNIQUE OF LUANGPOR PRAMOTE: ITS APPLICABILITY AND SPREAD IN THE INFORMATION AGE

2025-07-14T04:11:30+00:00

In modern society, meditation has become a key approach for people to cope with stress and achieve self-improvement. This article delves into the adaptability and practical value of Luangpor Pramote Pamojjo's comprehensive meditation in contemporary society. The article first discusses the background and formation of his meditation system. Then it discusses how he characterizes the two temperaments of practitioners in the field of vipassana meditation considering the human condition in an age of digital communication and the intensification of consumerism. This involves the way contemporary people are either distracted or experience an intensification of "craving" (greed). By placing the meditation method of Luangpor Pramote in this contemporary context, this paper demonstrates the appeal of its doctrine to the characteristics of contemporary meditators.

SINGULARITY AND THE LIMITS OF THE HUMAN SUBJECT: A KANTIAN PERSPECTIVE ON THE FUTURE OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

2025-07-14T04:18:01+00:00

This paper discusses the issue of technological singularity and analyzes its far-reaching impact on the future of mankind in combination with Kant's transcendental philosophy. Technological singularity is often understood as the point at which artificial intelligence surpasses human intelligence, leading to discussions about human free will, ethics, and social structures. However, this paper argues that technological singularity is not necessarily a threat, but a natural result of human reason and technological innovation. Using Kant's critical philosophy, this paper considers artificial intelligence from the perspective of human motivation, moral responsibility, and the limits of the human subject. This paper aims to provide a framework for philosophical reflection on the technological singularity in order to promote a deeper understanding of the relationship between technology and humanity.

THE PEERS TY SYSTEM: CONSIDERING ENVIRONMENTAL PRAXIS WITH REFERENCE TO HEIDEGGER’S IDEA OF BEING IN THE WORLD

2025-07-14T04:24:32+00:00

This paper will explain a system of environmental praxis which will be called the Peers Ty system. It will discuss it with reference to Martin Heidegger's idea of being-in-the-world. The term Peers Ty system is constructed to reflect its aims. Peers, which means brothers or comrades, is derived from the Pro-Environmental Act, Earth Friendly User, and the Five Rs and the SB way, (Reduce, Re-Use, Recycle, Recover, Re-think, and Stop Burning). While Ty means Thank You and comes from the Trees for Life movement and the You Forest movement. This is an environmental ethics based upon action. The necessity of an environmental praxis for relating to nature can be explicated with reference to Heidegger’s philosophy and his ideas of being in the world and dwelling. This paper will show that the Peers Ty system realizes Heidegger's understanding of an authentic manner of being in the world. It creates a practical system for dwelling on the earth.