This analytical review examines a recurring epistemological asymmetry between philosophical inquiry and scientific investigation: philosophy frequently asks what an entity, process, or order ultimately means and from where it originates, whereas empirical science ordinarily investigates observable consequences, mechanisms, relations, and conditions after a phenomenon has become accessible to measurement. The distinction is useful but should not be treated as an absolute division. Both disciplines formulate hypotheses, interpret evidence, revise concepts, and confront underdetermination. The central argument of this paper is that creation, interpretation, and expression can be represented as stages in a hypothesis–evidence–explanation cycle rather than as exclusive territories of philosopher or scientist. Historical and contemporary examples from metaphysics, philosophy of science, cosmology, evolutionary theory, quantum theory, and philosophy of mind are used to test this framework. The review distinguishes ontological questions about origins from methodological questions about evidence and from semantic questions about interpretation. It argues that scientific evidence can constrain philosophical hypotheses without by itself settling metaphysical questions, while philosophical analysis can clarify concepts and assumptions without replacing empirical investigation. A more productive paradigm is therefore dialogical: hypotheses generate questions; observations and experiments constrain explanations; conceptual analysis identifies hidden assumptions; and interpretations connect models to claims about reality. The paper concludes with a research agenda for interdisciplinary epistemology that preserves methodological boundaries while encouraging reciprocal correction.
My lifelong quest has been to address the problem of nihilism raised so forcefully by the work of Nietzsche in the 19 th century. This nihilism remains, of course, very much manifest in the current world disorder. This quest was indicated in the title of my first book, From Nietzsche to Wittgenstein: The Problem of Truth and Nihilism in the Modern World (1989). In the course of this quest, I have encountered two fundamental dimensions of human existence that bring us beyond nihilism: first, the mystical realization of the unspeakable oneness of existence which is present at all times in the background of our experience, the eternal now that frames all human thought and action. Second is the temporal, emergent evolutionary upsurge to actualize the values arising from the Cosmic evolutionary process. With a host of others, some of whom are reviewed in this paper, I argue that the “One” (as it is called) is going someplace through the emergent evolutionary upsurge of the Cosmos. Human beings have evolved to facilitate this process. The two dimensions (time and timelessness), of course, are necessarily intertwined. Nevertheless, this essay focuses on this second dimension of human existence that likewise overcomes nihilism. It discusses the “early-modern background” from which we are emerging, the question of language and its symbols, contemporary “spirituality,” our increasing understanding of Cosmic evolution, the key role of Kant’s “Transcendental Unity of Apperception (TUA),” the concept of “Utopian Horizon” deriving from these reflections, and the conclusion concerning “our next step forward.” It brings together viewpoints of many thinkers to develop an overview of our human situation revealing the fundamental role of the future, human ethical values, and our utopian horizon. In closing, it considers our next step forward in the form of an Earth Federation.
The rapid advancement of information technology and artificial intelligence within contemporary capitalist frameworks has significantly transformed communication practices. This transformation has led to a narrowed focus on communication, predominantly emphasising the exchange of information. Furthermore, content is frequently crafted to be visually appealing and persuasive; however, its accuracy, truthfulness, and reliability are often questionable. Consequently, these factors shape public perceptions and attitudes, diminishing social interactions locally and globally. In this context, this study revisits philosophical discussions on human communication by drawing on Buddhist and Cārvāka traditions while critically engaging with contemporary thinkers such as Habermas, Foucault, and Levinas to examine the politics of communication. This study addresses three primary concerns: First, it explores the evolution of human communication by analysing the interconnections between the self and others, intersubjectivity, relationality, and the embodied self within a historical context. Second, it seeks to establish the philosophical underpinnings of communication by drawing on the foundational tenets of Buddhism and Cārvāka, while also engaging with critical theorists to explore the discursive conflicts inherent in human communication. This study aims to investigate the basis of knowledge claims and the reliability of human communication by integrating Cārvāka materialism with the relational ontology inherent in Buddhism. Additionally, the research seeks to deepen this integration by incorporating critical-theory perspectives. This research study critically examines the social conditions requisite for genuine human communication. It explores the relational interdependence inherent in self-other interactions, the diversity of perspectives, the dynamics of contestation and negotiation, and the mechanisms of consensus-building within sociocultural contexts, where meanings are co-constructed through communicative processes.
This study delves into the ecological consciousness and principles of sustainable living embedded in Vedic literature. Drawing upon hymns and mantras from the Atharvaveda, Rigveda, Yajurveda, and the Upaniṣads, it highlights a timeless reverence for earth, water, plants, and cosmic harmony. Texts such as the Bhūmi Sukta, Vanaspati Sukta, Āpo Devatā Sukta, and Śānti Mantras reveal a vision of nature not as a resource to be exploited, but as a sacred partner in human existence. Complementary insights from the Brihadāraṇyaka and Iśopaniṣad emphasize universal well-being, social justice, and the interconnectedness of all beings, reminding us that sustainability is as much about ethics and compassion as it is about ecology. By analyzing these verses through transliteration and contextual interpretation, the research demonstrates how ancient wisdom anticipated many of the values now central to global sustainability frameworks. The Vedic call for respect toward the earth, sanctity of water, preservation of biodiversity, and pursuit of peace resonates deeply with contemporary aspirations for climate action, equality, and holistic development. Ultimately, the study affirms that Vedic wisdom offers more than ritualistic guidance—it provides a holistic framework where spirituality, ethics, and environmental stewardship converge. Revisiting these traditions through the lens of sustainability allows us to see them not as relics of the past, but as living philosophies that can inspire humanity to build a more balanced, compassionate, and sustainable future.
This paper examines how Zhiyi (智顗) articulates the path to enlightenment based on his distinctive account of human ontology, as presented in Clear Serenity, Quiet Insight , arguably the most authoritative text of Tiantai (天台, Tendai in Japanese) philosophy. In so doing, this study brings Zhiyi’s metaphysics and soteriology into closer alignment than has been achieved in previous scholarship. Among the schools of Mahāyāna Buddhism, the Tiantai tradition occupies a particularly important position in the development of Japanese Buddhism. This is largely because it offers one of the most sophisticated philosophical foundations for the doctrine of sudden enlightenment, in contrast to the gradualist approaches that require a prolonged course of practice. This article focuses on several central concepts in Zhiyi’s philosophy, including “three thousand realms in a single thought-moment,” the “three wisdoms,” and the “four teachings,” through which he articulates a comprehensive vision of reality and practice. In brief, his teaching provides a framework for understanding the true nature of human existence. It presents a path by which enlightenment may be realized through a profound cognitive insight into that very nature. Zhiyi thought that human beings exist only in the immediacy of the present rather than as eternal entities, and that they remain subject to various forms of struggle, even after attaining enlightenment. Yet the very fact that we can recognize the nature of this condition provides the foundation for the possibility of attaining Buddhahood.
