| Abstrakt: |
This short piece is a tribute to Romualdo E. Abulad as an educator and icon of academic philosophy in the Philippines. Abulad's take on postmodernity is presented a critical attitude against the backdrop of the contemporary human situation, as opposed to a historically-specific philosophical system. The following characteristics of Abulad's brand of postmodernism are outlined: via negativa as a way of thinking, a paradigm shift motivated by the refusal to accept metanarratives, dialogical philosophy, intersubjective-- thereby, ethical. Ultimately, this paper underscores Abulad's radical critique of the present--a revaluation, of sorts, of the contemporary role of philosophy. Moreover, it is a testimony to Abulad's pedagogy of postmodernity--that is to say, of how he teaches his students to think with postmodern eyes: an openness to the "otherwise than said" that is a profound gesture of hospitality and, yet, a relentless critique. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
