Rediscovering the West: An Inquiry into Nothingness and Relatedness (Suny (Suny Series in Western Traditions)

A bold and illuminating journey where Zen insight meets Western tradition to reawaken meaning, practice, and cultural integrity.

On a restless cultural fault line between East and West, Rediscovering the West invites readers into a deeper way of seeing, thinking, and living.

Drawing on the penetrating clarity of Zen Buddhism and the rich intellectual and spiritual heritage of the West, the book explores a central question of our time: how can modern Western culture rediscover meaning without abandoning its roots? Through a thoughtful engagement with both traditions, the author challenges inherited assumptions about worldview, identity, and the nature of wisdom itself.

In Part I, readers are introduced to the Zen perspective as a transformative lens―one that unsettles Western habits of thought while opening new possibilities for presence, encounter, and understanding. Part II turns inward, reexamining the Western tradition through figures such as Socrates and Christ, and uncovering its neglected mystical and experiential depths. Finally, Part III offers a way forward, presenting “relatedness” as a lived practice that unites insight with action and grounds philosophy in everyday life.

Both critical and constructive, this work moves beyond simple comparisons to create a genuine dialogue between traditions. It argues that the encounter with the East is not an escape from Western culture, but the very condition for its renewal.

Insightful, rigorous, and deeply humane, this book speaks to anyone seeking a more integrated vision of self, culture, and spiritual practice in a fragmented world.

Stephen C. Rowe is Professor and Chair of the Department of Philosophy at Grand Valley State University. He is the author of Leaving and Returning: On America's Contribution to a World Ethic; and editor of Living Beyond Crisis: Essays on Discovery and Being in the World; and Claiming a Liberal Education.