Bhakti Ethics, Emotions, and Love in Gau?iya Vai??ava Metaethics
Format:Hardback
Publisher:Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
Published:25th Jul '24
Currently unavailable, and unfortunately no date known when it will be back
Bhakti Ethics, Emotions, and Love in Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava Metaethics explores the broader implications of understanding bhakti, “devotional love to the divine,” as an ethical theory based on a “realist” account of emotions, where emotions are sensory perceptions of the real ethical qualities of classes of actions. The book spotlights one complex articulation of an Indian epistemology and ontology of ethics based on the metaphysics of Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava psychology of emotions in dialogue with a variety of academic fields, including the philosophy of religion and related methodologies such as virtue ethics, theological voluntarism, and ecofeminist and feminist care ethics. The work discusses how emotions are understood metaphysically as extra-mental, objectively real qualities, what Cogen Bohanec refers to as “affective realism.” This follows from a cosmogenic model where the universe emanates from the loving relationship between the divine feminine, Rādhā, and her intense loving relationship with her masculine counterpart, Kṛṣṇa. Since the origin of all of reality emanates from the ultimacy of an affective relationship, then the fabric of reality can be described as having objectively real affective qualities and that is the basis for grounding this ethical system.
In Bhakti Ethics, Emotions, and Love in Gau?iya Vai??ava Metaethics, Cogen Bohanec offers an intriguing exploration into the rich philosophical, ethical and theological tapestry of Gau?iya Vai??avism. Through meticulous research and a clear passion for the subject, Bohanec unpacks the profound ethical implications of bhakti—devotional love towards the divine—as the foundation for ethical living and spiritual enlightenment. His ground-breaking work illuminates the intricate relationship between emotional states and ethical behavior, arguing convincingly that love, in its purest form, is both the means and the end of ethical transformation. Bohanec's scholarship stands out for its depth and clarity, bridging the gap between ancient wisdom and contemporary ethical thought. By examining the role of emotions in the development of moral character within the Gau?iya Vai??ava framework, he not only enriches our understanding of this spiritual tradition but also contributes significantly to the broader field of religious ethics. This book is a must-read for anyone interested in the intersections of religion, ethics, and the transformative power of love. It challenges readers to rethink the foundations of ethical living through the lens of bhakti, offering a path towards a love-based ethic. -- Gopal Gupta, Aurora University
This excellent study exemplifies both skillful scholarship and the author’s depth of experience with the Gau?iya Vai??ava tradition. It thoroughly refutes the outmoded notion that practitioners within a tradition cannot view it from a sufficiently critical stance to do serious, rigorous reflection on its ideas. With this work, Cogen Bohanec advances our understanding of the Gau?iya Vai??ava worldview. -- Jeffery D. Long, Elizabethtown College
ISBN: 9781666943344
Dimensions: 235mm x 157mm x 24mm
Weight: 617g
330 pages