The Nuance of Affirmation: The Epistemological Foundation of Sundanese Wisdom

Abstract

One who learns and reads Western Philosophy is familiar with the
Decartes' proposition 'cogito ergo sum'. This proposition becomes
ontological and epistemological reason of our existence.
Nevertheless, one can also explore another reason of existence, not
only this Cartesian proposition considered the universal. A nuance
of affirmation implied within a local tradition of wisdom can be the
other ontological and epistemological reason. Therefore, an
exploration the nuance of affirmation in Asian tradition of wisdom
is necessarily discovered this alternative reason of existence (1).
One can discover such alternative reason from a local worldview
and philosophical narration in a local tradition of wisdom (2). This
article observes the worldview and philosophical narration of
Sundanese people. The observation offers a further interpretation
to the Sundanese worldview and philosophical narration. The
purpose of this interpretation is to formulate the nuance of
affirmation as it is implied in the local system of knowledge. A
principle of affirmation is derived from the interpretation of the
system of knowledge (3). The interpretation also becomes a further
invitation to explore and to find out an intercultural understanding
and dialogues of various systems of knowledge (4).