Society and Individual in the Early Nishida Philosophy
top of page
Asian Institute of Research, Journal Publication, Journal Academics, Education Journal, Asian Institute
Asian Institute of Research, Journal Publication, Journal Academics, Education Journal, Asian Institute

Journal of Social and Political

Sciences

ISSN 2615-3718 (Online)

ISSN 2621-5675 (Print)

asia insitute of research, journal of social and political sciences, jsp, aior, journal publication, humanities journal, social journa
asia insitute of research, journal of social and political sciences, jsp, aior, journal publication, humanities journal, social journa
asia insitute of research, journal of social and political sciences, jsp, aior, journal publication, humanities journal, social journa
asia insitute of research, journal of social and political sciences, jsp, aior, journal publication, humanities journal, social journa
crossref
doi
open access

Published: 25 June 2019

Society and Individual in the Early Nishida Philosophy

Taizo Yokoyama

St.Andrew University, Japan

journal of social and political sciences
pdf download

Download Full-Text Pdf

doi

10.31014/aior.1991.02.02.83

Pages: 429-454

Keywords: Nishida Kitaro, Japanese Philosophy, Kyoto-School, Nishida Philosophy

Abstract

This study aims on clarifying a relational structure of society and individual in the philosophy of Kitaro Nishida, especially focusing on his early work titled “Society and Individual” (first published in 1922). In Taisho era, when Japan was under crisis of human survivability challenged by political and economic disturbances after the World War, natural disasters and prevailing poverty in transitional democratization and capitalisation, ‘society' became one of the focal topic among scholars. On the other hand, the past criticisms stirred against Nishida before and after the World War II have found a main problem of Nishida philosophy in a scarcity of "process" description between individuality and absolute nothingness in his absolute dialectical logic. This exploration investigates the notion of ‘society' in the early Nishida's philosophy, which depicts society and individual as a fractal structure, accepting plurality of subjects and constant confliction among meanings and wills. Through demarcating the sense of ‘society,' the author attempts to spot a light on the misunderstandings in the past criticisms against Nishida and on his unique perspective of society and individual in the modernizing period of Japan.

References

  1. Fichte, J. G., 1794, Grundlage der gesammten Wissenschaftslehre: als Handschrift fuer seine Zuhoerer, Leipzig: Gabler

  2. Fukuda, T., 1922. Social Policy and Class Conflict., Ohkura-syoten

  3. Hayashi, T., et al. (eds), 1971, Philosophy Dictionary [revised new edition], Heibon-sya

  4. Hiromatsu, W., 1998, Philosophy and Thought Dictionary, Iwanami-syoten

  5. Kamishima, J., 1961, Spiritual structure of modern Japan, Iwanami-syoten

  6. Kiyoshi, M., 1966-1968. Collection of Miki Kiyoshi, Iwanami-syoten, [1st printed]

  7. Kobayashi, T., 2010, To Where Subjectum goes-One perspective to History of Japanese Modern Thought- (Syutaino Yukue -Nihon Kindai Shisoushi heno Ichishikaku-), Koudansya-sensyo-Mechie

  8. Kousaka, M., 1996, Memories with Professor Nishida Kitaro (Nishida Kitaro sensei no tsuioku). Touei-sya

  9. Kume, Y., 1999. Nishida Philosophy, its establishment, and fallacy (Nishida Tetsugaku, sono Seiritsu to Kansei). Nouson Gyoson Bunka Kyokai.

  10. Makino, S., 1953. Confrontation to Nishida Philosophy (Nishida Tetsugaku tono Tairitsu), Riron-sya

  11. Miakawa, T., 1962. Modern Japanese philosophy (Kindai Nihon no Tetsugaku), Keisou-syobou [revised edition]

  12. Mine, H., 2012, Confrontation Nishida Philosophy and Tanabe Philosophy –Logic of place and dialectic- (Nishida Tetsugaku to Tanabe Testugaku no Tairitsu), Minerva

  13. Miyakawa, T., 1962, Philosophy of Modern Japan, Keisou-syobou

  14. Nishida, K., 1950, Collections of Nishida Kitaro (Nishida Kitaro Zensyu) [old printed]

  15. Nishitani, N., Kouyama, I., Kousaka, M., and Shimomura, T., What is Tanabe Philosophy (Tanabe Tetsugaku toha), Touei-Sensyo, 1991

  16. Odagiri, H., ‘Self and Environment’ (Jiga to Kankyo), compiled in Ito, S., (ed), 1959, History of Modern Japanese Thought I- Historical Overview”, Chikuma-syobou

  17. Shimomura, T., 1990, ‘Nishida Philosophy and Japanese Thought’ in The Collection of Torataro Shimomura vol.12, Misuzu-syobo

  18. Shinmura, I., 2009. Kouji-en [6th edition]. Iwanami-syoten.

  19. Suzuki, T., 1967. Human and Existence in Modern (Gendai ni okeru Ningen to Jitsuzon), Goudou-shuppansya,

  20. Suzuki, T., 1967. Reflexive Co-existence World, (Kyozon teki Sekai), Goudou-shuppan

  21. Suzuki, T., 1973. Exploratino to Materialism and Existentialism (Yuibutsuron to Jitsuzon no Tankyu), Kisetsu-sya

  22. Takeuchi, Y., 1978. Nishida Kitaro and Modernity (Nishida Kitaro to Gendai), Daisan Bunmei-sya

  23. Tanabe, H., Fujita, M (ed), 2010, “Logic of Species, selection from Tanabe philosophy," (Syu no Ronri, Tanabe Tetsugaku sen I), Iwanami Syoten.

  24. Tanabe, H., 1963, ‘Calling for answer from Professor Nishida’（Nishida sensei no oshie wo aogu, 1930), ‘Hegel philosophy and it's dialectic’ (Hegel Tetsugaku to Benshouho, 1932), Collection of Hajime Tanabe, Chikuma-syobou

  25. Yanabu, A., 1982, Stories of Translation, Iwanami-syoten

  26. Yanagida, K., 1972, Nishida philosophy and Materialism (Nishida Tetsugaku to Yuibuturon), Aoki-syoten

  27. Yuasa. Y., 1990, On Body, eastern spirit-body and modernity, (Shintai ron, -Touyouteki Shinshinron to Gendai), Koudan-sya gakujutsu bunko

bottom of page