Francois Bernier si Brahmanii: Un obstacol in calea conversatiei inter-culturale/ Francois Bernier and the Brahmans: Exposing an Obstacle to Cross-cultural Conversation

Abstract

Taking its cue from François Bernier’s Voyages and focusing on the assumptions that stand in the background of Immanuel Kant’s view of the encounter between Christianity and Hinduism, this text endeavors to bring to light the theoretical framework that shaped the dialogue between the West and the East since the 18th century. The author’s contention is that the way that Western philosophy has tended to conceive of universal values has been one of the fundamental obstacles that has hindered a genuine cross-cultural conversation in this sense.