A debt of good will (utang na loob in Filipino) is incurred when a person becomes the beneficiary of significant assistance or favor given by another. Usually, the beneficiary is in acute need of the assistance given or favor granted. This provides an opportunity for the giving of help to serve as a vehicle for the expression of sympathy or concern. The debt could then be appreciated as one of good will because, by catering to another person's pressing need, the benefactor is able to express positive dispositions towards the beneficiary. It is not merely the receipt of the assistance or favor that puts the recipient in a position of indebtedness. The indebtedness is created by the benefactor's kagandahang loob (good will). An act can be considered to convey kagandahang loob only if it is done out of kusang loob (roughly, free will); and can only be considered to have been done out of kusang loob if the agent (1) is not acting under external compulsion, (2) is motivated by positive feelings (e.g. charity, love or sympathy) towards the beneficiary, and (3) is not motivated by the anticipation of reward. These conditions entail debt-of-goodwill relationships where the benefactor has no right to demand reciprocity but the beneficiary has a "self-imposed" obligation to repay kagandahang loob with kagandahang loob. Debts of good will are about some forms of justice. But we should not reduce all talk about debts of good will to talk about justice.

Fuer Platon ist die Musik ein wesentliches Element in der ethischen Erziehung des Menschen. Auch im klassischen China spielt die Musik eine ueberragende Rolle fuer die ethische Erziehung. Bei Platon soll die Musik eine Uebereinstimmung des Menschen mit dem Logos erbringen in china hingegen werden der Naturzusammenhang und auch die menschlichen Beziehungen als ein Zusammenklingen verstanden, das durch eine gelungene gegenseitige „Resonanz" (ying) gut wird im Sinne des Ethischen. Im Vortrag werden verschiedene chinesische Text als Beispiele herangezogen. Die Resonanzethik is aber nicht nur in China ein Grundmotiv, sondern findet sich auch in Japan z.B. bei dem bekannten Philosophen Nishida Kitaro (1870-1945), der in seinem Text Ich und Du (watashi to nanji) auf das Resonanzmotiv zurueckgreift. Der Vortrag versucht unter Heranziehung einschlaegiger Texte ein Grundmotive ostasiatischer Ethik herauszuarbeiten, dass mit dem chinesischen Wort „ying" (Resonanz, Antwort, Sollen) exemplarisch zum Ausdruck gebracht werden kann. Es soll somit das Thema Erziehung und Ethik in interkultureller Perspektive philosophisch bearbeitet werden.

I examine the concept of intention (tatparya) and its role in the phenomenon of verbal comprehension (sabdabodha) with special reference to Navya Nyaya, followed by some critical and evaluative remarks. An effort has been made to give an account of the apprehension of intention (tatparya) in four types of sentences: a) the ambiguous sentence b) the non-ambiguous sentence c) the vedic sentence and d) the sentence uttered by a parrot.

Philosophy in the south Asian subcontinent differs from Western philosophy in the following three ways: (1) it is based upon religion; (2) love of tradition becomes an obstacle for philosophical development; and (3) authority is accepted as a source of knowledge. I argue that future philosophical development demands that the above three differences be removed. Furthermore, philosophers from the subcontinent must concentrate on contemporary issues.

This paper discusses the notions of impermanence and death as treated in the Chinese and Japanese philosophical traditions, particularly in connection with the Buddhist concept of emptiness and void and the original Daoist answers to the problem. Methodological problems are mentioned and two ways of approaching the theme are proposed: the logically discursive and the meditative mystical one, with the two symbols of each, Uroboros and the open circle. The switch of consciousness is suggested as an essential condition for liberation of the Ego and its illusions. Rational logic as well as the sophisticated meditative ways of selflessness and detachment are suggested when treating the Chinese and Japanese philosophical notions, and examples of the discussed topics from the texts given. The instructive seventh chapter of the classical Daoist work, Lie Zi, is analyzed in detail and put into contrast with the answers given to that problem in the Greco-Judeo-Christian tradition.

Principles of Buddhist philosophy central to the formation of an ecological paradigm of mentality include a dynamic vision of the world, a system of relative truth apart from dogmas, a moral foundation for scientific knowledge, an emphasis on nonviolence and the absence of repressive scientific methods, and the progressive movement of the intellect to Universal Consciousness which postulates the unity of microcosm and macrocosm. The comparative analysis of laws and principles of modern ecological science and basic Buddhist thought points to their common intentional direction. Buddhist philosophy declares the creative participation of humankind in the united world synergistic process and forms to be the foundation of an altruistically marked ecological ethics.

Many articles and books on Buddhism have been published in recent years, but publications dealing with Buddhist educational views are rarely available. In this paper, I wish to expound on Zen Buddhist perspectives on modern education. The history of Buddhist education is long and complex. In early centuries (400 BCE- 800 CE), Buddhist monasteries in India and China functioned as educational centers where vinaya, sutras and other subjects were taught. Many men and women were refugees from social injustice and the sangha provided them with education, security and dignity. Spirituality and pedantry were always combined in Buddhist education. But from a Zen perspective, modern education has become an occupational training program to promote financial interest. Capitalism, science and technology have formed a new world view; to wit, occupational training has become more essential to one's way of living than the spiritual quest. Today, most students are concerned with finding financial stability and material gain. Against this trend, Zen education encourages students to seek spiritual stability. Because of Buddha nature, this is a natural human inclination, while not everyone is talented to become a computer specialist or an investment banker. Zen education guides students to grasp the "twist and turn" of the samsaric world, teaching them to be compassionate, understanding, patient listeners and well-balanced individuals.

I examine Nagarjuna’s averting an opponent’s argument (Verse 29 of Averting the Arguments), Paul Sagal’s general interpretation of Nagarjuna and especially Sagal’s conception of "averting" an argument. Following Matilal, a distinction is drawn between locutionary negation and illocationary negation in order to avoid errant interpretations of verse 29 ("If I would make any proposition whatever, then by that I would have a logical error. But I do not make a proposition; therefore, I am not in error.") The argument is treated as representing an ampliative or inductive inference rather than a deductive one. As Nagarjuna says in verse 30: "That [denial] of mine [in verse 29] is a non-apprehension of non-things" and non-apprehension is the averting of arguments or "the relinquishing of all views." "Not making a proposition P" would be not speaking P or silence with regard to P (where P is some opposing view) and, as Sagal argues, not meaning a global linguistic silence (where P stands for any proposition whatsoever). Such an interpretation would lead to attributing wholesale irrationalism to Nagarjuna-something I wish to avoid.

In this paper I ask the question of how change is effected in the li practices of a fundamentally conservative society. I begin with a description of how li functions in society ideally and actually, arguing that they play a crucial role in society as the medium through which the Confucian objectives (the perfection of the self, the establishment of order within one’s family, and the restoration and preservation of social order) are realized. The character of li suggests that li practices be evaluated in terms of their efficacy in realizing the Confucian objectives, for which participation in li is both necessary and sufficient. Yet, these objectives transcend li practices, allowing individuals to evaluate li practices in terms of their efficacy in realizing Confucian objectives in the face of changing concerns and circumstances, and thereby affect the relevant changes in li practices. It is an adequate understanding of what the Confucian objectives entail and the structure of the situations one finds oneself in that inform evaluation of existing li practices. However, changes in li practices take place vis-a-vis a conservative attitude towards inherited social conventions, and it is this conservative attitude that provides stability and continuity despite flux. Changes in li practices are therefore gradual, and do not disrupt social order.

This paper focuses on an analysis of the ethical concepts of two of the founders of Latin American philosophy, Carlos Vaz Ferreira and his moral philosophy and Alejandro Korn and his philosophy of freedom, and a contemporary thinker, Enrique Dussel. At the heart of this analysis is the Philosophy of Liberation developed by Leopoldo Zea, Arturo Roig and Dussel, among others. I explicate Dussel's ethics of liberation and its philosophical grounds from his recent writings on the problematic of the foundation of ethics, and go on to discuss the architectonic of the ethics of liberation and the foundation of ethical principles. The analysis involves issues of truth and validity, and the application of principles. Dussel's theory is assessed in comparison with the discourse ethics of Karl-Otto Apel and Jürgen Habermas.

El principio de universalizacíon de la ética del discurso al presentarse como principio universal-procedimental de legitimación de normas, sin contenido material, agudiza las sospechas de etnocentrismo de los "defensores" de las diferencias culturales. Creemos, sin embargo, que la ética del discurso, con su principio de universalización, pone a la luz esa racionalidad-dialógica desde la que es posible no sólo respetar sino fomentar la existencia de comunidades diferentes, abiertas. Contiene, en lo trascendental, las condiciones de posibilidad de realización de diálogos concretos. En este sentido afirmamos que universalismo moral y diferencia cultural se complementan; de otro modo nos encontraríamos con universalismo vacio o con posiciones culturales dogmàticas; cuando de lo que se trata es mas bien, dialógicamente, de un pluralismo valorativo.

El presente trabajo pretende contribuir a ampliar el campo de comprensión de la dinámica de las sociedades latinoamericanas, a enriquecer perspectivas de análisis a la hora de explicar su situación actual en retrospectiva histórica, o de trazar prospectivas que aspirena ser orientadoras de las opciones prioritarias para la construcción colectiva e integradora de su futuro. Del objetivo primario de la justificación de la teología de liberacion es decir 'pensar teológicamente' la realidad latinoamericana desde una reflexión crítica respecto de las posiciones subyacentes a las opciones pastorales vigentes en Latinoamérica, surgió la posibilidad de pensar en términos filosóficos problemáticas integrales que hasta ese momento habían sido soslayadas por los discursos filosóficos y teologales, en tanto problemas particulares y concretamente situados. Justicia social, pobreza y desarrollo integral, situaciones de opresión y violencia institucionalizada, concientización de los propios límites y de los contextos de emergencia socio-cultural son algunos de los términos específicos en los cuales debatir. Por tratarse de una reflexión sistemática, necesitará profundizar sus teorizaciones y orientar las implicancias para la praxis hacia la necesidad fundamental y crítica de sus supuestos filosófico-metodológicos. Son estos supeustos los que deben asegurar la coherencia de su corpus teológico con el perfil ce 'acción comprometida con las realidades etructurales.' El otro planteo es el de la identidad latinoamericana, para culminar en conclusiones sobre los aspectos filosófico-metodológicos como orientación para une filosofía de la educación latinoamericana, tema central en este Congreso.

Efficiency is a highly considered virtue, especially in our contemporary technological society. It appears to be opposed to the sense of ludus (playfulness) that is greatly valued in Brazilian culture. Is this conflict real? Is it a definite impediment to modernization? This paper deals with this apparent conflict of values, trying to find a way toward a harmonious integration of them. Efficiency is shown as the virtue of a culture turned toward modernity. It is therefore highly prized in contemporary business administration theories. It is also shown that the whole of modern society is oriented toward technological advance and it consequently tends to value efficiency above all other values. Considering other values found in different cultures, there needs to be a better knowledge of them. This study establishes ludus as a typical value of Brazilian culture. An analogy is drawn between the sense of playfulness described and praised by Brazilian authors, and the sense of detachment from technology proposed by Jacques Ellus as a condition for creating a real civilization with technological progress.

Since 1934, when the University of São Paulo was set up, Philosophy courses in Brazil were more and more influenced by the French view of the historiography of Philosophy, thus determining the historic-philosophical character of most of the research done and of the curricula in this area. Mainly from the early 1960s there emerged criticisms and self-criticisms favoring a shift away from the mere historical practice and towards a clearly philosophic, doctrinal and critical one. The present paper is concerned with discussing this tendency and looking for a better understanding of this recent academic philosophical phenomenon in Brazil, and with doing this on the basis of the historically testimonies that are relevant to it.

In Nueva refutación del tiempo, Borges explicitly interprets both Berkeley and Hume as genuine exponents and "apologists" of idealism. We may not owe Berkeley the discovery of a doctrine which according to Borges is practically as "ancient" and "popular" as metaphysics itself. However, his arguments connote a unique philosophical achievement. Borges himself adheres to these arguments and goes beyond them. He makes Berkeley's doctrine flow into Hume's which in turn flows into the uniform ocean of pantheistic idealism as envisioned by Schopenhauer and by Oriental philosophy. A close reading of the story "Tlön, Uqbar, Orbis Tertius" shows how the epistemology inherent in the language descriptions of this planet leads its metaphysicians to move from the underlying Berkeleian-Humean principles to the acceptance of pantheistic idealism. This story is not only a subtle, imaginative fantasy; it is also a work of intellectual elegance reading deep into the problem of knowledge of the external world. Berkeley and Hume devoted their whole attention to this issue and developed views that could adequately address the problem. Borges avoids arguing whether their doctrine falls under the denomination of "immaterialism," "phenomenalism" or "idealism." He seems either to deliberately ignore this scholarly dispute or to go beyond it in an effort to let the texts speak for themselves. Thus, Berkeley's Principles, and Hume's Treatise and first Enquiry show a common fact: the world is mind-dependent.

Son analizadas en el presente trabajo las tres propuestas metodologicas hechas por pensadores latinoamericanos, para el estudio de la filosofía en la America Latina. Esas propuestas son: (1) de la originalidad total; (2) de la ausencia de originalidad; (3) de la originalidad relativa. La primera es defendida por autores como el brasileño R. Gomes or el peruano A. Palacios, para quienes habria la posibilidad de un pensamiento latinoamericano ciento por ciento original. La segunda es defendida por pensadores como el brasileño C. Bevilacqua, para quien a los latinoamericanos solo les resta repetir el pensamiento filosofico europeo, porque no estan dotados de la capacidad para hacer filosofia original. La tercera propuesta, que es la sustentada por el autor del trabajo, ha sido formulada por los brasileños M. Reale y A. Paim, y consiste en reconocer que, aunque inspirados en fuentes filosoficas europeas, los latinoamericanos han realizado una meditacion propia, al reflexionar con las categorias filosoficas aprendidas de la tradicion occidental, sobre una realidad que es absolutamente original en su historicidad. Surge de ahi una meditacion dotada de la originalidad de la problematica humana a la cual se refiere la meditacion filosofica. El concepto de originalidad es relativo, pero garantiza una filosofia latinoamericana en sentido proprio.

La experiencia contemporánea de pluralidad de interpretaciones, paradigmas científicos, estilos de arte, juegos de lenguaje, culturas, etc. que no sólo conviven sino que se entrecruzan e influyen recíprocamente, nos conduce a plantear más que una legitimación paralógica del conocimiento y del pensar, el reconocimiento de la configuración 'interlógica' -es decir, constituyéndose con el aporte de todos ellos- de un horizonte de inteligibilidad y de una racionalidad correspondiente. Hablamos de 'reconocimiento' en cuanto se trata de asumir, a través de una hermenéutica de vía larga lo que de hecho se da en la historia de la humanidad, hecha por todos sus protagonistas - hombres, pueblos, planteos, formas de vida...-; en tanto reconocimiento, es una tarea de verdad y de justicia, de acogimiento, discernimiento y creatividad, y por lo tanto también de educación. Se ofrecen algunos ejemplos a partir de la experiencia intercultural latinoamericana con respecto a las nociones de forma, espacio y tiempo.

Intento mostrar que el discurso latinoamericano (entendiendo por tal el relativo al pensamiento que versa sobre la problemática latinoamericana, sin cerrarlo a grupo alguno) puede ser trabajado desde la filosofía del lenguaje con el máximo rigor. Hay ya valiosos de trabajos de diversos autores latinoamericanos, como Arturo Roig y su equipo, sobre discurso, texto, simbologia. Mi propuesta da un paso adelante al buscar los nexos entre el discurso latinoamericano y la filosofía del lenguage que arranca en Alemania con Gottleib Frege, para dejar abierto el camino a otras conexiones dentro de esa misma linea. No se ha escrito mucho sobre el tema, quizá debido a la creencia extendida en Latinoamerica de que filosofía analítica del lenguaje y discurso de la problemática latinoamericana son incompatibles. Hay filósofos del lenguaje para los cuales la filosofía se ubica en un plano atemporal y ageográfico tal que resulta ridículo preguntarse por la situación de una o otra cultura. En cambio hay otros filósofos del lenguaje abiertos a la dimensión histórica y a la significatividad, en cuya confluencia pueden brotar vigorosas corrientes de pensamiento en el futuro.

I reflect on the incidence and character of the certainties that comprise the basis of our ethical behavior. We do not speak of the propositions due to evidence or to the result of conclusions to which our reasoning leads us. Rather, we treat that which is taken for granted when we justify any behavior. These certainties are not the consequence of theoretical teaching but of action itself, defined here as coinciding action between individuals. While coincidence gives ethical certainties meaning, the training we receive from childhood with respect to these certainties cannot be overestimated. However, ethical teaching as we commonly know it can be articulated in relation with these certainties. Finally, I reflect on the difficulties and problems posed by the different certainties in the background of the behavior of distinct groups and individuals. In my opinion, this does not lead to ethical relativism because some way of continuity must be given in terms of the common human condition. Persuasion can drive individuals sharing a common ethical image of the world to participate in another because some of the certainties are surely shared.

In this paper I wish to examine the position of Camus regarding social change, namely his concepts of rebellion and revolution. I in no way question his well-deserved status as a major twentieth-century French writer, nor do I wish to suggest that he may have been someone caught in a Sartrean notion of 'bad faith.' I am concerned with what one might call his theory of social action. I do wish to assert that Camus was a good man who seriously wrestled with the events of his time. Yet his claims on behalf of suffering humanity, while honest, are not sufficient when faced with complex social issues. That his move toward the right that today might well be taken for a supposed liberalism was undoubtedly bound up with his continued misunderstanding of the dialectic of history.