The Problem of Overcoming Ortientalism in Phenomenology of Religion of W. Cantwell Smith

Year 2010, Volume: 28 Issue: 28, 175 - 189, 01.02.2010

Emir Kuşcu

Abstract

We focuses on three basic problems in this article. Firstly, we are interested in Smith’s phenomenology which has criticized classical orientalism. According to this, Smith attributes a destroying purpose relating orientalism and essentialism to phenomenology of religion. Smith opposes to pozitivistic and historicisist reductionism built by orientalism. He asserts that orientalist conception isolated religious texts from personal dimension by reifying them. Smith tries to build a pluralistic structure instead dualistic structure of orientalism. The second problem relates with developing a hermeneutical conception of Quran beyond western researchers’ orientalist perspective on Quran. Smith opposes to orientalists who don’t accept Quran as scripture and some historicist conception relating to Quran. Early orientalism’s false convictions on Quran bases on their distorded conception on religion, language and history. It is vital to understand hermeneutically concept of historicity in order to avoid such a orientalism. Third problem relates with understanding religion by emphatetic interpolation called insider’s perspective instead orientalist definition. Smith tries to establish a dialogue between orientalist perspective and believer connected with religion and avoids from a monological orientalism.

Keywords

Orientalism, religious studies, identity, Quran

W. Cantwell Smith’in Din Fenomenolojisinde Oryantalizmi Aşma Sorunu

Abstract

Bu makalede üç temel problem üzerine odaklanmaktayız. İlk olarak, klasik oryantalizmi tenkit eden Smith’in fenomenolojisiyle ilgilenmekteyiz. Buna göre, Smith din fenomenolojisine oryantalizm ve özselciliğe ilişkin yıkıcı bir amaç atfeder. Smith, oryantalizm tarafından inşa edilen pozitivist ve tarihselci indirgemeciliğe karşı çıkar. Oryantalist anlayışın dini metinleri şeyleştirerek, onları personel boyuttan yalıttığını iddia eder. Smith oryantalizmin düalist yapısı yerine çoğulcu bir yapı inşa etmeye çalışır. İkinci problem, Kuran hakkında batılı araştırmacıların oryantalist perspektifinin ötesinde Kuran’ın hermenötik bir anlayışını geliştirmekle ilgilidir. Smith Kuranı kutsal bir kitap olarak kabul etmeyen oryantalistlere ve Kurana ilişkin tarihselci bir anlayışa karşı çıkar. Kuran hakkında erken dönem oryantalizminin yanlış kanaatleri, din, dil ve tarih hakkında onların çarpık anlayışına dayanır.

Keywords

oryantalizm, dini araştırmalar, kimlik, Kuran

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