Riyadh International Philosophy Conference 2025: Details of the East-West Dialogue
The Riyadh International Philosophy Conference 2025 continued its activities, solidifying the Saudi capital's position as a global intellectual beacon and a vital platform for intercultural dialogue. Under the theme "Philosophy Between East and West: Concepts, Origins, and Mutual Influences," the conference witnessed a remarkable turnout of leading thinkers and researchers who presented critical perspectives that reinterpret the history of ideas and the future of human communication.
Cultural context and knowledge bridge
This conference comes at a crucial time, as the world undergoes major cultural transformations. Saudi Arabia, through its ambitious vision, seeks to promote the values of dialogue and cultural openness. The event is not merely an academic gathering; it represents a revival of the region's historical role as a bridge of knowledge, transmitting, preserving, and developing Greek philosophy during the golden age of Islamic civilization, and then re-exporting it to the world in new intellectual frameworks.
The centrality of philosophy in history and the critique of established beliefs
In a session titled "Philosophy and its Centrality in History," moderated by Mohammed Al-Omar with the participation of Ali Al-Rammah, Mai Al-Nahidh, and Yousef Al-Mubarak, the foundational roots of rationality were highlighted. The speakers discussed the influence of the German philosopher Hegel on the formulation of historical thought systems, offering critical readings based on Karl Popper's arguments regarding "absolute centrality." The session emphasized the necessity of openness to others and acknowledging error as a fundamental condition for liberating thought from "civilizational prisons," noting that the shift in human conflicts from "swords to pens" is evidence of the maturing of human consciousness and its transition towards constructive knowledge rather than destruction.
The interaction between East and West: Ibn Sina as a model
In another session titled "Eastern-Greek Philosophy: Sources, Influence, and Interaction," participants, including Mabrouk Al-Shaibani Al-Mansouri, Hamed Al-Iqbali, and Badour Al-Faleh, explored the paths of mutual influence between civilizations. The session focused extensively on the contributions of the philosopher Ibn Sina, described as the "Third Teacher," and his pivotal role in reformulating the concept of existence, making him an indispensable link between Islamic and Western thought. The session also addressed dialogue in the Holy Quran as a foundational model for argumentative logic and the principles of refined human communication, emphasizing that philosophy is a shared endeavor in the pursuit of truth that transcends geographical boundaries.
Islamic philosophy and the problems of modern literature
The session titled "The Philosophical Structure and Epistemological Contributions of Islamic Philosophy," featuring Ahmed Al-Anizan and Hessa Al-Mufarrah, discussed representations of evil and power in world and local literature. The speakers drew in-depth comparisons between dystopian Western literary narratives such as George Orwell's "1984" and "Brave New World," and contemporary Arab examples like the novels "The Shell" and "Mercury." The discussions highlighted the differing roots of philosophical problems across cultural contexts, while emphasizing that Islamic philosophy possesses epistemological tools capable of making significant contributions to the fields of ethics and comparative studies, moving beyond the traditional focus on major texts to broader realms of analysis and critique.
In conclusion, the sessions of the Riyadh International Philosophy Conference 2025 proved that philosophical interaction is a continuous movement, and that the Kingdom has become a leading player in directing the compass of global philosophical dialogue towards broader and more integrated horizons.
