Global Issues Report:

Foreigners in Philosophy

James Flournoy

The University of Texas at El Paso

RWS 1301

Dr. Vierra

November 11, 2019

 Abstract

This report will examine the less than often recognized community of foreign philosophers

whom are increasing becoming more frequents in countries other than their own in today's times.

Due to the lack of conversation and literature-based conversation regarding the subject of foreign

philosophers, the philosophical community is blind in the opacity of the matter. Furthermore, this

report will report upon foreigners in philosophy to incite higher understanding of what exactly

and who specifically they are. Through that as a tool and maybe the main tool in the aiding in

understanding is going to be existential dislocation. Which is characterized as the main

characteristic of foreign philosophers. Elif Yavnik of Hypatia goes into detail of the relevance as

well as the effects of this affair by simply displaying the connections between foreign

philosopher and beneficial ramifications of the such, not only in El Paso but throughout the

world.
 Global Issues Report:

Foreigners in Philosophy

Foreigners in philosophy are an unconscious entity within the philosophy community that

has been referenced in Australia as well as the community of foreigner philosophers at UTEP.

Not much work and or discussion has been given to what these people are exactly and what

makes them significant. Foreigners in philosophy can be simply regarded as those who practice

the field of philosophy in a foreign culture. UTEP can aid in this unrecognized issue that with

light shed on it could be very productive society by using its mainstream connections and

attention to bring recognition to the cause. According to Yavnik (2018), “those who come to do

philosophy in a geography and culture other than their own” (pg. 1). To first help we must

identify, and that in which has was done early in Yavnik’s publication. Furthermore, the direct

linking between foreigners in philosophy and a restricted philosophical community because of

their absence and or lack of presence will be inspected and reported upon.

Discussion

The significance of foreigners in philosophy is can be profound due to their abstractness

in experiences. These experiences in turn could reshape logical thought by adding other points of

sense followed by deductive thought and reasoning, which is in simple how philosophy is

generated. As stated by Yavnik (2018), “Foreigners challenge the borders of philosophy and the

existing conceptions of what philosophy is and how it is to be practiced” (pg. 344). To extend

upon Yavnik’s notion, Yavnik implies that foreigners currently without even being aware

challenge the original western structures of philosophy. That in which if recognized could

redefine the major functioning notions of philosophy itself.

To further understanding of what exactly a “Foreign Philosopher” is, Yavnik (2018), refers to

them as “Those who come to do philosophy in a geography and culture other than their own”

(pg. 1). To simplify foreign philosopher are generally strangers in a community other than the

philosophers place of origin and early philosophical growth. To give an example, an immigrant

that’s traveled from China to the United States to further understand and express his

interpretations on life in the United states in literature or through discourse can be regarded in his

time in the United states as a “Foreign Philosopher”. To eliminate the Foreign philosophy

category and merge it the organism of general philosophy, UTEP must within its community

eliminate the stranger factor within foreign philosophers.

As defined generally a stranger is someone that another doesn’t know and or not familiar with

through the others perspective. Although this is in a logic sensical, a philosophical definition will

serve as a more insightful and helpful notion to take reference from since philosophy is a main

portion of the subject. According to Yavnik (2018), “A “stranger,” Georg Simmel explains, is

someone who displays a synthesis of detachment and attachment, of remoteness and closeness

with regard to the society” (pg. 344). And so, this statement deductively insinuates that the

embracement and public broadcasting of foreign philosophers' philosophical accusations as done

with more so westernized or traditionally affected philosophical accusation, will through more

recognition of the latter merge the two over time. The definition of Foreign Philosophers and

how to aid in their integration of the cultural they're in for the sake of the advancement of

philosophy as a whole have been distinguished, how to identify physically whom their

philosopher are is another point of assistance in the goal of the advancement of philosopher

globally as well as at UTEP. As quoted by Yavnik (2018), “Perhaps the most recognizable

experiences of foreignness are predominantly physical in nature. Foreigners are typically tired.
Their bodies struggle to adjust to new environments, new climates, a new local ecosystem in

general. They have to adjust to a new diet: to different ingredients when they cook at home and

to a different eating culture when they dine out. Foreigners deal with more bureaucracy than their

non-foreigner colleagues at every turn. Being a foreigner means doing paperwork, learning

policies, and visiting offices that locals do not even know exist” (pg. 346). Which is reference

point to how to possibly, physically identify foreign philosophers and engage in such

conversation that can benefit the umbrella notions of philosophy and or add new ones within.

The significance of the integration and recognition of “Foreign Philosophers” into a what would

be universal community at its core can be perceived as evolution of personality. As a species we

sense and from what we’ve sensed we infer and apply, through this process personalities are born

that mimic a combination of other personalities that have been experienced by one within the

communities the one has been exposed too. Each “One” has its own community that in which is

a composition of many other larger formative communities. In most cases one has a general or

home community in which the majority of their personality has been configured within that

larger community, but in the case of the “Foreign Philosopher”, a home community becomes less

and less solidified as one grows more accustomed to others through assimilation. Thus, evolution

of personality into a universal personality begins. As stated by Yavnik (2018), “Foreigners

cannot continue to be their familiar selves. For them, the interpretive ground through which

significations are woven is gone. They become shallow beings whose subtleties either go

unnoticed or do not appear at all in the new world. To regain their richness as persons they strive

to translate themselves into the local language and the local forms. Living in another language

and a new culture is not merely using different names for the same things; it is learning a whole

new orientation in communication and social relations. It is learning a new how to be surprised
how to complain, how to poke fun, how to laugh along; it is learning the possibilities for making

jokes; it is adopting new facial expressions. Living in another language and another culture

amounts to weaving for oneself a new persona (pg. 349). Through this vivid depiction of the

evolutional process of a foreign philosopher's character by Yavnik, it becomes evident that

through Foreign Philosophy a more active and insightful personality is born. Which is

universally desired through Aristotle's notion that as people we seek to escape ignorance.

The issue that is lack recognition of Foreigners in Philosophy, is not only an issue that can be

characterized within the geographical confines of UTEP but can be implied within the global

community. This issue by logic is more so concentrated within communities of mainstream

culture but is in entirety an undivided concern due to the notion they each person having their

own individual philosophy that in which is developed throughout their experiences in a

combination of communities. As stated by Yavnik (2018), “A foreign graduate student in

Australia puts it in away with which many others would agree: “[t]hings are not easy when they

are done alone” (pg. 346). Which is a reference to a notion regarding a community outside of

UTEP and or even the United States that is in account to issues of foreigners in philosophy.

Philosophy is fundamentally a collection of ideas and or notions that are abstract from a more

mainstream thought continuum. By this notion of philosophy, its only rational to assume that

there are a variety, and through the previous points of this paper its reasonable to assume that the

variety has a strong correlation to location. According to Eyo & Ibanga (2018), “The argument is

that African philosophy can be done in any language, since language is learnt” (pg. 209). This

implicates that within the geographical location of Africa, philosophers hold their own

philosophical notions. This is due to the way Eyo & Ibanga conveyed their thought, more
specifically in the words “African Philosophy” which indicates that African philosophy is

distinctive.

Yet again, philosophy can still be by its nature anything other than what its popularly or

politically defined as. Philosophy is sense to concept so therefore multiple interpretations are a

possibility. As stated by Verena Erlenbusch (2017), “This article provides a more nuanced

conceptual apparatus that allows for a more precise identification and discussion of other ways in

which one can be a foreigner in philosophy. I develop a taxonomy of different conceptions of the

foreigner, namely the linguistic, material, cultural, and epistemic foreigner; I discuss the different

and specific challenges they face; and I show how foreigners enrich philosophical practice”. Her

expressions imply that there is more than one way one can be a foreigner in philosophy, which

supports the notion that there is multiple classification to what a foreigner in philosophy can be.

UTEP may aid in the awareness of the foreigner philosophers by notionlessly recognizing all

types of foreigners in environments other than their own, rather near or far.

Conclusion

The connection between the lack of recognition between foreigners in philosophy and a

restricted philosophical community has been made evident as well as defined and solution

advised. In addition, the need for embracement of Foreigners in philosophy has also been backed

by support from Yavnik’s articles and through the perspective of fundamental logic. Through the

lens of UTEP, foreigners in philosophy was quite a close to home topic in light of the facts that

many commute to UTEP from other foreigner communities that in which some even come to

practice philosophy which is a direct connection. To conclude if the philosophy community

eliminates its division by merging with foreign philosophy, the community as a whole would

benefit in the direction of advancement of structural notions.

 References

Yavnık, E. (2018). Foreigners in Philosophy and Openness to Dislocation. Hypatia, 33(2), 343–358.

https://0-doi-org.lib.utep.edu/10.1111/hypa.12405

Aristotle. (1999). Aristotle’s Metaphysics. Saches, J. [Physical Book]

Eyo, E. B., & Ibanga, D.-A. (2018). African Indigenous Languages and the Advancement of African

Philosophy. Journal of Pan African Studies, 12(5), 208–217. Retrieved from http://0-

search.ebscohost.com.lib.utep.edu/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=133153411&site=ehost-

live&scope=site

Erlenbusch, V. (2018). Being a Foreigner in Philosophy: A Taxonomy. Hypatia, 33(2), 307–324. https://0-

doi-org.lib.utep.edu/10.1111/hypa.12377
 Figures

Figure 1. The process of thought that in which us how ideas are generated. Likely used by

foreign philosophers.

Published by Cambell, A. Retrieved from https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Knowledge-

Management-Philosophy-Within-the-context-of-software-intensive-projects-

the_fig2_265009259
Figure 2. They symbol of philosophy. Is a connectant to all communities of philosophy including

foreigners that practice.

Retrieved from https://graphemica.com/%CE%A6/glyphs/times-new-roman-regular