Divyadaan: Salesian Institute of Philosophy, Nashik
Divyadaan: Salesian Institute of Philosophy is a centre for philosophical studies at Don Bosco Marg, Nashik 422 005, India, offering bachelor's and master's degree courses in philosophy.[1]
Contents
The Institute
The institute is run by the international Catholic religious society called the Salesians of Don Bosco,[1] and is aggregated to the Faculty of Philosophy of the Salesian Pontifical University, Rome.[2] Divyadaan began its existence at Don Bosco Youth Centre, 4 Koregaon Road, Pune 411 001, in June 1980. In June 1984, it was shifted to its present premises at Don Bosco Marg, Nashik 422 005. It was affiliated to the Faculty of Philosophy of the Salesian Pontifical University in 1982, and aggregated to the same faculty in March 2000 (see decree of the Sacred Congregation for Catholic Education, prot. n. 1035/98). The students are mostly residential, though the centre is also open to non-residential students.[2]
Program of Studies
The first cycle, which ends in a bachelor's degree, covers three years. The second cycle, which ends in a master's degree, covers two years. The master's degree course offers specializations in education and communication.
Teaching Staff
The teaching staff consists of the following:
Dr Ivo Coelho, Reader: Chair of Gnoseology and Metaphysics. Dr Albano Fernandes, Lecturer: Chair of Classical Indian Philosophy. Dr Ashley Miranda, Lecturer: Chair of Moral Philosophy. Dr Robert Pen, Reader: Chair of Semiotics. Dr Savio D'Souza, Lecturer: Chair of Philosophy of Religion. Dr Felix Fernandes, Lecturer: Chair of Philosophical Anthropology. Dr Edison Fernandes, Lecturer: Chair of Educational Psychology. Dr John Sequeira, Associate: Chair of Philosophy of the Human Person. Dr Maria Arockiam Kanaga, Associate: Chair of Contemporary Indian Philosophy. Dr Stanislaus Swamikannu, Associate: Chair of Modern and Contemporary Western Philosophy. Dr Jacob Srampickal, Associate: Chair of Philosophy of Communication.
Dr Nelson Falcao. Dr Matthew Coutinho. Vinod Mascarenhas. Valerian Pereira. Solomon Rapol. Diego Nunes. Barbara Braganza. V.S. Vamane. Anelfreda Miranda. Jacob Palaparambil. Leon Rodrigues. [3]
Divyadaan: Journal of Philosophy and Education
The centre publishes a journal called Divyadaan: Journal of Philosophy and Education (ISSN 0972-2211). The journal, which began publication in 1984-85 under the title Divyadaan: A Philosophical Annual, is issued three times a year. Besides articles of a philosophical and educational nature, it publishes also abstracts of doctoral dissertations in philosophy, education and communication done by people in the South Asia area, as also book reviews and notices.[4]
Library
The library has about 33,000 volumes, mostly in philosophy, but also in psychology, education, sociology, religion, empirical science, arts, literature, and salesiana. It receives over 100 periodicals and magazines, scholarly and otherwise, mostly in English, but also in French, German and Italian. The classification is a modified version of the Dewey Decimal System. In place of decimals, codes are given to authors. Thus an original work of Kant is classified as 193 KA, while a study on Kant is classified as 193 KA / SMI.N. This has the advantage of simplifying the classification as well as keeping original works of authors and studies together.
Lonergan Studies
Divyadaan is, for India, the centre for studies in the philosopher-theologian-economist Bernard Lonergan, having on its staff at least two specialists, Dr Robert Pen (PhD in Lonergan's Philosophy of Communication), and Dr Ivo Coelho (PhD on the notion of the universal viewpoint in Lonergan), besides others who are interested in the area. However, no formal "Lonergan Centre" has as yet been set up.
Pen and Coelho are members of the fledgling Asian Lonergan Association.
Coelho has set up a collaborative blog, Indian Christian Writings: A Bibliography. This, being a contribution to the functional specialty Research, is an effort to kickstart the implementation of Lonergan's theological method in India. Hopefully the bibliography will open up avenues for further research (e.g. in terms of critical editions and translations of sources, as for example is being done in the case of Thomas Stephens), interpretation, and history. Dialectic and generation of foundations should then follow, and doctrines mediated into Indian contexts, systematics, and communications. Knowledge will flow not merely from text-based scholarship but also on appropriation of grass-roots experience of living the faith in contexts marked by a multiplicity of religions as well as poverty, social stratification, etc.
De Smet Studies
Divyadaan may also be considered a centre of interest in the work of the Jesuit indologist Richard De Smet. Ivo Coelho recently edited Brahman and Person: Essays by Richard De Smet (Motilal Banarsidass, 2010), while Understanding Sankara: Essays by Richard De Smet is in the press.
Thomas Stephens Studies
A third focus of interest at Divyadaan is the work of Thomas Stephens (Jesuit), author of the Arte da lingoa Canarim, reputed to be the first grammar of a modern Indian language worked out by a European; Doutrina Christam em Lingoa Bramana Canarim; and the Khristapurana. Nelson Falcao has a PhD in the thought of Thomas Stephens, and has, in 2009, published the Marsden version of the Khristapurana, along with a translation into contemporary Marathi. Ivo Coelho is writing a historical introduction to a forthcoming edition of the Arte da Lingoa Canarim to be published in Goa.
Publications
Coelho, Ivo. Hermeneutics and Method: The 'Universal Viewpoint' in Bernard Lonergan. Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 2001. Coelho, Ivo. "Hermeneutics as a Return to the Concrete: Fred Lawrence's Meditations on Heidegger, Gadamer and Lonergan." Divyadaan: Journal of Philosophy and Education 19/1-2 (2008) 235-268. Coelho, Ivo. "Bibliography of the Writings of Frederick G. Lawrence." Divyadaan: Journal of Philosophy and Education 19/1-2 (2008) 283-290. Coelho, Ivo, ed. Brahman and Person: Essays by Richard De Smet. Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass, 2010. Coelho, Ivo, ed. Violence and its Victims: A Challenge to Philosophizing in the Indian Context. Papers presented at the 34th Annual Meeting of the ACPI held at Anugraha, Dindigul, T.N., 19–22 October 2009. Association of Christian Philosophers of India, vol. 11. Bangalore: Asian Trading Corporation, 2010. Falcao, Nelson. "Christology in the Writings of Narayan Vaman Tilak (1861-1919)." Jeevadhara 38 (2008) 223-231. Falcao, Nelson, ed. and tr. Phadara Thomas Stiphanskrta Khristapurana: Purana 1 va 2: Sudharita ani vistarita sampurna avrtti hastalikhita Marsden Marathi padya pratitila sloka, Marathi bhasantara; vistrta sandarbha, parisiste va granthasuchi. Bangalore: Kristu Jyoti Publications, 2009. Pen, Robert. "Effects of Western Media on Indian Culture." Pluralism of Pluralism: A Pluralistic Probe into Philosophizing. Ed. Keith D'Souza. Bangalore: ATC Publications, 2008. 275-298. Pen, Robert. "Educommunication." Divyadaan: Journal of Philosophy and Education 21/1 (2010) 65-81. Contributions to the ACPI Encyclopedia of Philosophy: Ivo Coelho (Analogy; Critical Realism; De Smet, Richard; Foundationalism); Nelson Falcao (Thomas Stephens [1549-1619]); Ashley Miranda (Conscience; Duty; Justice); Robert Pen (Communication; Media - in India; Rumour).
