Philosophy: choice or destiny?

Abstract

This interview-article explores the life of Marietta Tigranovna Stepanyants, a leading Russian expert on Eastern philosophy. It examines the scholar’s development, from her studies at the Moscow State Institute of International Relations to her work at the Institute of Philosophy of the Russian Academy of Sciences, and describes her relationships with teachers and colleagues. Using the example of the development of an orientalist philosopher, the article illustrates the atmosphere and system of personal and professional relationships at the Institute of Philosophy of the Russian Academy of Sciences. M.T. Stepanyants’s major works on the philosophy of India and Pakistan and the history of their creation are noted. Particular attention is given to the analysis of the development of comparative studies and the participation of M.T. Stepanyants in international conferences on comparative philosophy, noting her contribution to the development of the problems and methodology of intercultural philosophy, as well as the dissemination and popularization of intercultural philosophy approaches and ideas in Russia. It is emphasized that at present, comparative and intercultural philosophies make a great contribution to overcoming Eurocentrism and help create favorable conditions for an adequate perception of Eastern philosophical thought. It is obvious that in the era of a developing polycentric world, the importance of intercultural philosophizing, which recognizes the equivalence of different points of view and positions in philosophy, will only increase. This article examines M.T. Stepanyants’s teaching at the Diplomatic Academy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the State Academic University for the Humanities. Her role in integrating Eastern philosophies into contemporary Russian education and in stimulating research on Eastern philosophies is highlighted.