A dor do negativo: algumas considerações sobre a legitimidade da filosofia extraeuropeia: The suffering of the negative: some considerations on the legitimacy of extra-European philosophy

Werle’s thesis on extra-European philosophy (The specificity of Western European philosophy vis-à-vis Eastern or African philosophy) not only expresses his own theoretical position, but it is also the channel through which a collective theoretical position on what philosophy is and what it is not is transmitted. It denies extra-European philosophy, because it has no characteristic traits of the concept of philosophy and is a cry from the heart. It affirms it, because it has rationality, but that one that is incipient, deficient and inefficient. Therefore, it is an oscillating and clumsy affirmation that, deep down, takes up its negation and symptomatically manifests the current stage of development of Brazilian philosophical consciousness. With a view to a critical evaluation capable of demonstrating the limits of this thesis, it will be confronted with three theoretical frameworks: the history of Western philosophy (Habermas), intercultural philosophy (Mall) and the history of philosophy in Brazil (Domingues). Finally, some prospective observations will be made about the academic and professional practice of philosophy in Brazil. Keywords: Western European philosophy, extra-European philosophy and rationality.