A prominent thinker and philosopher has extolled the virtue of freedom, emphasising its importance to every human being on the planet.
Victoria University Professor of Philosophy Jay Shaw said that freedom has been an issue of concern to thinkers and scholars for several centuries.
“Indian philosophers have emphasised psychological and metaphysical freedom. Metaphysical freedom is liberation from all types of suffering,” he said.
Professor Shaw was speaking at the launch of his book at the Student Union Memorial Theatre located in the Victoria University Campus on April 27.
Titled, ‘Human Beings and Freedom: An Interdisciplinary Perspective,’ the Volume contains contributions of 22 scholars, 21 of who are from Victoria University.
Professor Shaw said that the Book discussed Physical, Political, Mental and Spiritual Freedom, essential for human life.
“The articles examine resistance, identity and equality from Marxian, critical, feminist, ancient, modern, post-modern, Western, and non-Western points of view. Hence, this book will broaden the horizons of the contemporary perspective of scholars in different countries,” he said.
Global Perception
He said the volume also referred to the views of contemporary leading thinkers such as Michel Foucault, Jacques Derrida, Jacques Lacan, Gilles Deluze, Felix Guattari, Cornelius Castoriadis, Judith Butler, Mikhail Bakhtin, Martin Heidegger and Jean-Paul Sartre.
“This book materialises the ideas of our Society for Global Philosophy, as it promotes interdisciplinary dialogue, understanding between diverse traditions of thought and culture, and goodwill between scholars.
“The aim is to demonstrate the relevance of Indian philosophy to the West and its integration into mainstream Western Philosophy,” he said.
He said human suffering was manifest in three forms, namely bodily harm, natural disasters and mental conditions including solitude and anxiety.
According to him, Western Philosophy described human beings from five perspectives.
“These include Biological, Philosophical, Theological perspectives, the approach of pro-abortionists focusing on the nature of human beings and those of existentialist philosophers such as Sartre, Kierkegaard, and Heidegger, who have added a new dimension to a discussion of human beings, as they have emphasised certain emotions or freedom,” he said.
“Our society aims to promote global philosophy and culture through dialogues, seminars, lectures, and books. These activities create better understanding among the diverse philosophical traditions of Europe, Asia, North and South, East and West,” Professor Shaw said.
A Unique Volume
Speakers at the event hailed the book as unique in the history of Victoria University, unique in New Zealand and the world, as 20 scholars from eleven departments have contributed to an eternally relevant theme.
Among them were Wellington Mayor Celia Wade-Brown, Councillor Bryan Pepperell, academics and members of the community.
“This is a remarkable Book. It shows the intertwined concepts of freedom and learning, and the discovery that learning came from many different sources,” Ms Wade-Brown said.
Mr Pepperell described Professor Shaw as “Wellington’s hidden living treasure.”
