Abstract

This paper aims to contribute to the ongoing debates about the methods of comparative philosophy. Although the idea of comparative philosophywas laid down by Paul Masson-Oursel (1882–1956) in the early years of the 20th century, this subfield of philosophy remains an emergent discipline, and many methodological issues remain debated. By exploring its history and developments in the West during the 20th century, I intend to stress three dangers met by any comparatist project in philosophy: assimilation, exclusion, and generalisation. After emphasising these dangers and the philosophical principles that underlie them, I will suggest outlines for a possible comparative approach. I shall argue that history of philosophy can provide efficient guidelines to comparative philosophy. I elaborate on recent scholarship in comparative philosophy and borrow from recent methodological developments in history of philosophy, especially Alain de Libera’s revised Foucauldian archaeology of knowledge.