Can Different Cultures Think the Same Thoughts?: A Comparative Study in Metaphysics and Ethics

Kenneth Dorter's study examines fundamental questions in metaphysics and ethics across major philosophical traditions of India, China, and the West. The book investigates how metaphysics can serve as a foundation for ethics, as well as its independent significance. Dorter compares selected major thinkers and classic works across these three traditions, juxtaposing philosophers such as Spinoza and Shankara, Confucius and Plato, and Marcus Aurelius and the Bhagavad Gita. Through these comparisons, he explores different perspectives and reveals limitations and assumptions that might otherwise remain hidden. The cross-cultural approach considers whether works from different cultures can be understood as expressing comparable philosophical views. While Dorter identifies commonalities across traditions, he does not claim the existence of universal philosophy. Fundamental disagreements among the philosophers and works studied remain evident. However, each case study reveals shared or analogous ways of addressing issues across different cultures. The book will interest readers of metaphysics, ethics, Indian philosophy, Chinese philosophy, and comparative philosophy.