مرکز منطقه ای اطلاع رساني علوم و فناوري - A SEARCH FOR A DIALOGIC AND NON-POSITIVIST PARADIGM IN INTERCULTURAL AND INTERCIVILIZATIONAL RELATIONS

Abstract :

Despite the promises of Globalization, gradual degradation of the culture of dialogue is one of the primal challenges faced by humankind. It seems that this challenge has spilled over to civilizational levels. Forces in the East are depicted as the source of the conflict in global levels and the blame is put on Non-Western individuals, nations and civilizations. According to this perspective, the West is under the threat of the Eastern nations which lack the light of the science and humanism of the West. However, there is an urgent need to leave “us” and “them” types of discriminations, which blames “the other” for the problems, aside; as well as a need for everyone to question themselves with respect to civilization. Nevertheless, we should also admit that it is the Western civilization which developed and shaped the contemporary world with its good and evils. Therefore, the conflict we observe between the Western and the Eastern civilizations is a one sided issue not a two sided one. That is why; it is the cultural and epistemological basis of Western science which creates conflict, violence and discrimination. Leaving strict positivism with its all social reflections might mean “cutting the roots” of the problem.