Levinas and Asian thought /

Increasingly, most areas of philosophy view cross-cultural engagement as a crucial aspect of truth seeking. In light of postmodern hermeneutic realizations about the inescapability of perspective and sociohistorical context, attempting to expand one's horizons by engaging different perspectives and contexts seems a sensible way of opening philosophical discourse to a globalized dialogical space. Levinas and Asian Thought, edited by Kalmanson (Drake Univ.), Garrett (independent scholar), and Mattice (Univ. of North Florida), is a striking example of how productive such cross-cultural engagement can be for philosophical inquiry. Impressively, this book stands as a contribution not only to "comparative philosophy," but also to Levinas scholarship. Addressing issues as wide-ranging as intersubjectivity, hospitality, violence, desire, and lived practice, this book suggests that Levinasian philosophy is a constructive frame for making sense of contemporary political theory, moral philosophy, and postmodern/postnational identity. This book opens new ground for future scholarship while inviting contemporary scholars to reevaluate their own assumptions about the limited perspectives they may occupy. This significant book, one hopes, will give rise to many more like it. Summing Up: Recommended. Upper-division undergraduates through researchers/faculty. J. A. Simmons Furman University