Publisher's Synopsis
World Peace via an Integrated Kantian and Buddhist Perspective In his essay "Toward a Perpetual Peace," Immanuel Kant points out that the gradual evolution of human institutions is the key to world peace and that the principles of laws, morality and politics could be holistically established and systematically promoting the right to self-determination of individuals, peoples and the whole of mankind as a motivating force. An international league for peace, the national republican constitution and the law of world citizenship are the legal tools need to be implemented. Moreover, Kim Them Do argues that Buddhism values peace both intrinsically and instrumentally. It identifies the human nature and the structural cause of violence. It has the cultural power to motivate and to hold people morally responsible for achieving peaceful ideals: common basis of values, virtues, rights and responsibilities, culture of non-violence, solidarity and tolerance. By associating with the Buddhists, people around the world may feel powerful enough to deal with the contemporary world issues. Therefore, the Buddhist ethics has been called a conceptual skill for a peace education project and the Kantian ethics has been called a technical skill for a rule of law development movement. Both are the ultimate guarantors for peace, thus becoming the new paradigm for peace governance. In his paper "Buddhism and the World Peace," Johan Galtung explores the Buddhist contribution to global peace building process. In the chapter "Shi Wa: A Vajrayana Buddhist Perspective" Karma Lekshe Tsmo dicusses the issue on the traditonal Tibetian perspectives. In the last chapter Buddhism, Punishment, and Reconciliation, Charles K. Fink illustrates his points with his insights and with examples from the theory of non violence. This book provides the reader with a depth introduction to the discussion in the age of the global war on terror. It looks at the modern aproach that requires a new route to world peace. This innovative and thoughtful volume is must reading for anyone who cares about Kantian philosophy and Buddhist position in the world peace.
