Honolulu (Hawaii), 2016

Date: May 29, 2016
Theme: East West Philosophers Conference (Honolulu, East West Center, U. Hawaii),
Two panels, Raimon Panikkar's Intercultural Dialogue and Inter-space
(dia-topical) Hermeneutics
organized by Michiko Yusa and Young-chan Ro.

Raimon Panikkar, one of the pioneers of intercultural dialogue, developed the idea of “dia-topical hermeneutic” to explore the significance of “place” (topos) in understanding and interpreting religious and cultural traditions. For Panikkar, “place” or “space” plays a critical role in “understanding” and “interpretation” by crossing different geographical boundaries, cultural contexts, and religious traditions of the world. According to Panikkar, “dia-chronical hermeneutic,” interpretation across different periods of time through history within a socio-religious and cultural tradition, is commonly practiced, however, we are now facing a new challenge to cross the cultural regions, and geographical territories and relate different cultural “places” in order to engage in intercultural dialogue. In light of Raimon Panikkar’s “dia-topical” approach, the panel discussed the following topics:
1. The significance of “place” in “understanding” and “interpretation” of religious and cultural traditions.
2. Finding the importance of “dia–topical” approach in engaging in the interpretation of different religions, cultures, and civilizations.
3. Discovering different cosmologies found in different cultures and religions and engaging in a cross-cultural dialogue and a “dia-topical” interpretation. One’s way of relating to “space” shapes one’s way of understanding the universe or the cosmos, beyond a mere scientific cosmology, what Panikkar calls “kosmology.”
4. The panel also explored a broader and larger implication of Panikkar’s thoughts in relating to how the idea of “space” shapes the concept of “time.”

Speakers:
Michiko Yusa, "Topological Existence: Panikkar & Nishida"
Milena Pavan, "A Pilgrimage to the Sacred Place of Kailash"
Fred Dallmayr, "Thomas Merton & Panikkar on Buddhism"
Joseph Prabhu, "The Dialectic of Topos and Universality in Panikkar's Diatopical Hermeneutics"
Gerard Hall, "The Pertinence of Panikkar's Diatopical Hermeneutics for Intercultural Dialogue with Aboriginal Australians"
Young-chan Ro, "Experience of Space: Cosmologies in Dialogue"