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GANDHI'S CONTRIBUTION TO PHILOSOPHY
AND RELIGION
Gandhi's contribution to philosophy cannot be given simply by enumerating certain contributions which Gandhi might have made to philosophy. It should be borne in mind that the word philosophy is ambiguous and vague. What does it connote can hardly be easily determined? The history of philosophy both eastern and western illustrates the divergence of meaning attributed to the world “philosophy'. So what contributions Gandhi has made to philosophy can be determined only when we are clear in our mind as regards the meaning which we attach to the word 'philosophy’. This means that there may be some who regard him as a great philosopher, while there may be others who are hesitant to call him so. This difference of conclusion is due to the difference of meaning ascribed to the word “philosophy'. So before I venture to say anything regarding Gandhi's contribution to philosophy, I propose to analyze the meaning of this word, which may be regarded as digression, but after we reach the end, this digression will look important and relevant. So let me now analyze, though in a summary way, the meaning of the word “philosophy'.
At the outset it should be said that there is no general agreement among philosophers as to what philosophy is. What philosophy is, is itself an important philosophical question. “Philosophy” it has been said, “is its own first problem.”
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