A Comparative Survey of Buddhist and Western Critiques of Metaphysics

Abstract

Metaphysics of stasis affirms the existence of unchangeable independent entities. In this sense of metaphysics, early Buddhist philosophy is anti-metaphysical. It does not affirm the existence of metaphysical entities like God, the soul and substance that underlie the world. This negative attitude towards metaphysics of stasis can be explained within the larger context of the goal of Buddhism. A review of western philosophy also shows that metaphysics of stasis has many critics. Prominent among the critics are David Hume, Immanuel Kant and a group of philosophers called Logical Positivists of which A.J.Ayer is one. A comparative survey of both Buddhist critiques and western critiques of metaphysics, with reference to God, the world and the soul shows that there are similarities and differences in both thoughts. Their similarities go a long way to show that they can dialogue with each other and such similarities provide a strong avenue for a continuous philosophical dialogue between the East and West.