1996/03/01 by Julius Lipner · 1 citation
Arts and Humanities · Social Sciences · #Indian and Buddhist Studies #Indian History and Philosophy #Religion and Society Interactions #Hinduism #Plural #Meaning (existential) #Epistemology #Context (archaeology) #Philosophy #Property (philosophy) #Linguistics #History
paper · doi:10.1017/s0034412500024100
openalex publication_date 1996/03/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/22
This paper suggests, against a comparative horizon and in broadly philosophical context, a fresh approach to the study of Hinduism. After indicating how religion in general and ‘Hinduism’ in particular are plural phenomena both internally and externally, the paper goes on to define a (if not, the) distinguishing property of Hinduness (or hindutā ) in terms of an approach that is based on a re-centring system of equilibrating and interactive polarities called ‘polycentrism’. This is described further as a calculated paradoxicality, which is articulated in the light of possible objections.