Some highlights from philosophical/idea-related interactions between Japan and 'the west'.

1. 1 / 30
Japan and the West
Thought and Philosophy

2. 2 / 30
Today in History...
14 July 1789: “Storming of the Bastille”

3. 3 / 30
“Rights of Man”
Aug. 1789: “Declaration of the
Rights of Man and of the
Citizen”
Drew on other similar
precedents:

US Declaration of
Independence (1776)

UK Bill of Rights (1689)

4. 4 / 30
Universal Rights

1: Men are born and remain free and equal in rights.

3: The principle of any sovereignty resides essentially
in the Nation.

5: The law has the right to forbid only actions harmful
to society.

10. No one may be disturbed for his opinions, even
religious ones, provided that their manifestation does
not trouble the public order established by the law.

11. The free communication of thoughts and of
opinions is one of the most precious rights of man

5. 5 / 30
Ideas spread...
Europe 1810

6. 6 / 30
Late Tokugawa thinking

Confucianism
− Historical tradition with great prestige

'Japanese learning' (kokugaku)
− Mid-Tokugawa reaction to perceived dominance
of thought from China

Dutch studies (rangaku)
− Through translations of imported books starting
from 1770s

7. 7 / 30
Dutch Learning

Started with translation of Tafel Anatomia (also
Ontleedkundige Tafelen) by Sugita Gempaku
(1733-1817) and colleagues.

8. 8 / 30
Dutch knowledge spreads

From late c18 more publications of translations
made easier by Inamura Sampaku's Edo Halma
Dutch-Japanese dictionary (1796)

1814: first J-E dictionary: Angeria Gorin Taisei

9. 9 / 30
Dutch knowledge spreads

From late c18 more publications of translations
made easier by Inamura Sampaku's Edo Halma
Dutch-Japanese dictionary (1796)

1814: first J-E dictionary: Angeria Gorin Taisei

10. 10 / 30
Dutch knowledge spreads

From late c18 more publications of translations
made easier by Inamura Sampaku's Edo Halma
Dutch-Japanese dictionary (1796)

1814: first J-E dictionary: Angeria Gorin Taisei
諳厄利亜語林大成

11. 11 / 30
Iwakura Mission

1871-3

Visited apx. 20
countries
1.Renegotiate
unequal treaties
2.Gather useful
information

12. 12 / 30
Nakae Chomin(Tokusuke) 1847-1901

Studied philosophy, history and French literature in
Paris

Translated Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712-78)
− The Social Contract
− Division of

'sovereign', the people, the 'general will'

'government' which deals with specific
applications of law.

13. 13 / 30
Nakae Chomin

Left Meiji govt. disillusioned

From 1874: propagated 'western
democratic' ideas through
education and newspapers.

Attempted to promote:
− egalitarianism
− liberalism

Briefly entered Diet (1890), again
left in disgust...

14. 15 / 30
“Self-help”

First ideas to enter Japan were those of English-
language writers: J.S. Mill (On Liberty), J. Bentham
(utilitarianism), H. Spencer (social darwinism) etc.

1871: Nakamura Masanao translated Samuel
Smiles' Self-Help.
− “when the majority of a nation's people “help
themselves”, that state is filled with vigor and
is strong in spirit”

15. 16 / 30
Meirokusha – The Meiji 6 Society

1874 - c1900

A group of intellectual aimed at
promoting 'enlightenment and
civilisation'
− Fukuzawa Yukichi
− Mori Arinori
− Mitsukuri Rinsho etc

Published Meiroku Zasshi until
1875 when banned

16. 17 / 30
Bunmei kaika 文明開化 ...

“Enlightenment” movement, 1868-1890apx

Western ideas imported rapidly and haphazardly

Radicals demanded 'westernisation' of every aspect
of Japanese life:
− “there is not one thing in which we excel...All
that Japan has to be proud of is its scenery”
Fukuzawa Yukichi*
* Ward R.E. (1968) Political Development in Modern Japan, Princeton Univ. Press

17. 18 / 30
“Return to Japan”

conservative reaction (>1880s)

Motoda Eifu(Nagazane) (1818-1891)

Confucian scholar, deeply concerned at western
influence in education (espec. Ethics)

Along with Inoue Kowashi, responsible for
Confucian elements of Imperial Rescript on
Education...

18. 19 / 30
Imperial Rescript on Education

Kyoiku ni kansuru chokugo ( 教育ニ関スル勅語 )

Issued 20 Oct 1890
Killed off educational
liberalism seen in 1870s
Created a 'basis for moral
orthodoxy'
Remained the
fundamental of ethical
principles until 1945.

19. 20 / 30
NISHIDA Kitaro (1870-1945)

“ the most significant and
influential Japanese philosopher
of the twentieth-century”*

Attended Tokyo Imperial Univ.
1891-4

Studied Zen in Kyoto

1914, Prof. of Philosophy Kyoto
Imperial Univ.
* http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/nishida-kitaro/

20. 21 / 30
Work

“frustrating for its repetitive and often obscure style,
exceedingly abstract formulations, and detailed but
frequently dead-end investigations”

Absolute nothingness (zettai-mu)

Theology: relationship between the self and the
infinite.

Politics: nation, culture, religion

basho

21. 22 / 30
The 'Kyoto School'

Collection of thinkers with a variety of approaches
and outlooks, perhaps united by an interest in
'nothingness'.

Neither simply 'western' nor 'eastern'

Closely linked with religious thought, particularly
Mahayana Buddhism (Zen)

Politically contentious...

22. 23 / 30
D.(Daisetz)T. Suzuki (1870-1966)

Studied at Tokyo Imperial Univ.

1890s invited to travel to US to translate Japanese
and Chinese religious texts

1911: married 'Theosophist' Beatrice Lane
1920s-50s
Published many works and
translations which introduced
Zen Buddhism to 'the West'
particularly the US.

23. 24 / 30
Martin HEIDEGGER (1889-1976)

“His ideas have exerted a seminal
influence on the development of
contemporary European philosophy”

At Univ. of Frieburg taught Tanabe
Hajime (founder member of Kyoto
School)

Seems to have been influenced by
ideas from Zen Buddhism and Tao-
ism.

Suspected of being a Nazi.

24. 25 / 30
WATSUJI Tetsuro (1889-1960)

Tokyo: Studied under Nitobe Inazo,
later became friends with Natsume
Soseki.

Graduated from Tokyo Imperial Univ. in
1912

Taught at various places until 1925,
Kyoto Univ.

Spent 14 months in Germany 1927-8.

25. 26 / 30
Climate and Culture

Cultures are determined by climates

There are three climatic areas:
− Monsoon (China, India, Japan?)
− Desert (Arabia, Africa, Mongolia)
− Meadow (Europe)

Each creates its own type of culture/character…

26. 27 / 30
Climatic meanings...

Meadow / Europe
− Nature is benign, 'rational', orderly
− European 'science'

Monsoon / Asia
− Nature is dangerous, aggressive, unpredictable
− Asian 'resignation to fate'

27. 28 / 30
But...

Japan's climate was unique and different...

On the edge of the 'monsoon' zone – 4 seasons

Japan home to a “distinctive form of selfless action”,
different to both Asian 'passivity' and Western
'individualism'

Indictment of 'western' individualism, materialism
and rationalism

28. 29 / 30
Climatic determinism...

There's only one climate so there can only be one
possible culture…

Climates don't change so why should cultures?

Perhaps it's not just by chance that the climate best
suited for a superlatively creative culture happens
to occur in Japan…

Japan is 'non-Western' and also 'non-Asian'.

29. 30 / 30
Publications (a lot of!!)

1920: Nihon Kodai Bunka (Japan's Ancient Culture)

1925: Nihon Seishin-shi Kenkyu (Researches on
Japan's Spiritual History)

1935: Fudo (Climate and Culture, 1961)

1936: Koshi (Confucius)

1937: Rinrigaku (Ethics)

Etc etc...

30. 31 / 30
Next Week...

Exam

Prepare to write two short essays (apx. 15mins
each) on two people mentioned during these
lectures.