Philippine E-Journals

Charles Taylor: Towards An Ethics of Intercultural Dialogue

Jeffrey M. Centeno

Discipline: Philosophy

 

Abstract:

This article presents the hermeneutical role of culture in the process of understanding oneself seen within the larger context of culture. Chosen as an interpretive framework to argue for this point is the contribution of Charles Taylor’s dynamic theory of culture. The question of the self is interwoven with the discourse of culture. Every identity is rooted in a cultural context, which informs the identity’s unique character. That is why an adequate account of ethnic identity involves an elaboration of the fundamental relation between the self and culture. A deeper understanding of this truth can lead to meaningful encounters of the living realities of cultures.