Acknowledgements
This book is nearly twenty years in the making. As such, there are countless conversations with my teachers, friends, students, and peers that have contributed to my understanding and interpretation of constructivism and Eastern philosophy.
I thank Matthew Hanser for introducing me to Christine Korsgaard’s work. At the time, I was studying philosophy of language and mind in graduate school, just four years after Korsgaard published The Sources of Normativity. My research track radically changed to metaethics as soon as I read “The Reasons We Can Share.” I quickly took up analysis of Korsgaard’s work that semester. I have enormous respect for Christine Korsgaard, whose creative take on metaethics and new theory of constructivism inspired me to understand the world in an integrated way. Formerly, philosophy to me was a set of puzzles to solve. Afterwards, constructivism was a captivating koan of its own, which, if soluble, showed me a glimpse of a synoptic view from which the parts were only complete within the whole. Likewise, I am in debt to my other teachers, all of whom made significant contributions to my understanding of the specific issues in this book: Nathan Salmon, Kevin Falvey, Christopher McMahon, and Hilary Putnam.
I owe Holly Bodine, whose careful editing aided me enormously. I am also very thankful to Brill, who, after publishing my first edited volume, Philosophy of Spirituality, extended a contract to me for this book. Specifically, I am grateful to Bram Oudenampsen, who took on my constructivist project with gusto, Thom Brooks, who enthusiastically ensured that my manuscript had a place in his series, and Emma de Looij, who supervised the final stages of the completion and publication of this book. I had particularly helpful conversations with several peers on numerous occasions: Gregory Morgan, Adam Powell, Jennifer Scott, and Jason Newman. I am grateful for the teachings of Khenpo Tsewang Rinpoche, Marie Friquegnon, Kenneth Faber, and those at the Padmasambhava Buddhist Center who all kindly answered my inquiries and steered me in the right direction with regard to Buddhism. Matthew Dasti helped me to find valuable sources in Indian philosophy, particularly within the scholarly discussions of the Yoga School. Dean Saeed Ghahramani has been an indispensable support to me at my university. Thank you.
Finally, without the support of my family and friends, this work would have been impossible. Everything is connected, and to you I am intimately intertwined. Immense gratitude to Noah Steinberg, my husband, Sonia and Summer Salazar, my mom and sister, and Jennifer Scott, Holly Bodine, and Adam Powell, my lifelong friends. And to my yoga community at Sweet Flow Yoga and my students from Spring Hill College and Western New England University. I continue to gain inspiration from you every time I teach.