The Crisis of Japanese Identity in the 21st Century and Watsuji Tetsurō’s Ethics
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.4312/as.2015.3.1.129-144Keywords:
ethics in Japan, contemporary Japanese society, individual and society, emptiness, betweennessAbstract
According to some thinkers, in the 21st century, the Japanese society is facing a crisis of values. The postmodern approach to the individual and society may be one of the causes of this problem. In this point of view, an inadequate grasp of the relationship between the individual and the society seems to play an important role. The problem of this relationship was elaborated by the early 20th century philosopher Watsuji Tetsurō who endeavoured to re-define the role of an individual in the society. This paper attempts to examine the contemporary problem of Japanese identity from the perspective of Watsuji’s conception of interpersonal relationships.
Downloads
Download data is not yet available.
References
Bellah, Robert N. 1965. “Japan’s Cultural Identity: Some Reflections on the Work of Watsuji Tetsurō.” In The Journal of Asian Studies 24 (4): 573–94. Accessed January 17, 2014. http://www.jstor.org/stable/2051106.
Bernier, Bernad. 2006. “National Communion: Watsuji Tetsurō’s Concept of Ethics, Power and the Japanese Imperial State.” In Philosophy East and West 56 (1): 84–105. Accessed September 10, 2014. http://www.jstor.org/stable/4488002.
Carter, Robert E. 1996. “Interpretive Essay: Strands of Influence.” In Watsuji Tetsurō’s Rinrigaku, edited by Robert E. Carter, 325–54. Albany: State University of New York Press.
–––. 2013. “Watsuji Tetsurō.” In The Kyoto School: An Introduction, edited by Robert E. Carter, 125–53. Albany: State University of New York Press.
Couteau, Pauline. 2006. “Watsuji Tetsurō’s Ethics of Milieu.” In Frontiers in Japanese Philosophy, edited by James Heisig, 269–90. Nagoya: Nanzan Institute for Religion and Culture.
Kisala, Robert. 2006. “Contemporary Religion and Social Crisis in Japan.” Accessed December 22, 2014. http://www.kosei-shuppan.co.jp/english/text/mag/2006/06_ 456_8.html.
Kobayashi, Yōtarō. 2000. “Japan’s Individualism in Globalization Trends.” Accessed September 18, 2013. http://glocom.org/opinions/essays/200012_kobayashi_jp_ individ/index.html.
La Fleur, William R. 2001. “Reasons for the Rubble: Watsuji Tetsurō’s Position in Japan’s Postwar Debate about Rationality.” In Philosophy East and West 51 (1): 1–25. Accessed May 4, 2014. http://www.jstor.org/stable/1400033.
Mayeda, Graham. 2006. Time, Space and Ethics in the Philosophy of Watsuji Tetsurō, Kuki Shūzō, and Martin Heidegger. New York: Routledge.
Miyagawa, Keishi 宮川敬之. 2008. Watsuji Tetsurō: Jinkaku kara aidagara e 和辻哲郎 人格から間柄へ (From Individuality to Betweenness). Tōkyō: Kōdansha.
Mochizuki, Tarō. 2006. “Climate and Ethics: Ethical Implications of Watsuji Tetsurō’s Concepts: ‘Climate’ and ‘Climaticity’.” Philosophia Osaka 1: 43–55. Accessed May 3, 2014. http://ir.library.osaka-u.ac.jp/dspace/bitstream/11094/12799/1/po_01_043.pdf.
Nagami, Isamu. 1981. “The Ontological Foundation in Tetsurō Watsuji’s Philosophy: Kū and Human Existence.” Philosophy East and West 31: 279–96. Accessed May 16, 2014. http://www.jstor.org/stable/1398575.
Oyama, Nao. 1990. “Some Recent Trends in Japanese Values: Beyond the Individual–Collective Dimension.” International Sociology 5: 445–59.
Sakai, Naoki. 1991. “Return to the West/Return to the East: Watsuji Tetsurō’s Anthropology and Discussions of Authenticity.” Japan and the World 28: 157–90. Accessed April 22, 2014. http://www.jstor.org/stable/303208.
Watsuji, Tetsurō 和辻哲郎. 2007. Rinrigaku 倫理学 (Ethics). Tōkyō: Iwanami shoten.
–––. 2011. Fūdo: Ningengakuteki kōsatsu 風土 人間学的考察 (Climate and Culture: A Philosophical Study). Tōkyō: Iwanami shoten.
Wu, Jeffrey. 2001. “The Philosophy of As-Is: The Ethics of Watsuji Tetsurō.” Stanford Journal of East Asian Affairs 1: 96–102. Accessed April 22, 2014. http://www.stanford.edu/group/sjeaa/journal1/japan2.pdf.
Yoshizawa, Denzaburō 吉沢伝三郎. 2006. Watsuji Tetsurō no menmoku 和辻哲郎の面目 (Watsuji Tetsuro’s Honour).Tōkyō: Heibonsha.
Bernier, Bernad. 2006. “National Communion: Watsuji Tetsurō’s Concept of Ethics, Power and the Japanese Imperial State.” In Philosophy East and West 56 (1): 84–105. Accessed September 10, 2014. http://www.jstor.org/stable/4488002.
Carter, Robert E. 1996. “Interpretive Essay: Strands of Influence.” In Watsuji Tetsurō’s Rinrigaku, edited by Robert E. Carter, 325–54. Albany: State University of New York Press.
–––. 2013. “Watsuji Tetsurō.” In The Kyoto School: An Introduction, edited by Robert E. Carter, 125–53. Albany: State University of New York Press.
Couteau, Pauline. 2006. “Watsuji Tetsurō’s Ethics of Milieu.” In Frontiers in Japanese Philosophy, edited by James Heisig, 269–90. Nagoya: Nanzan Institute for Religion and Culture.
Kisala, Robert. 2006. “Contemporary Religion and Social Crisis in Japan.” Accessed December 22, 2014. http://www.kosei-shuppan.co.jp/english/text/mag/2006/06_ 456_8.html.
Kobayashi, Yōtarō. 2000. “Japan’s Individualism in Globalization Trends.” Accessed September 18, 2013. http://glocom.org/opinions/essays/200012_kobayashi_jp_ individ/index.html.
La Fleur, William R. 2001. “Reasons for the Rubble: Watsuji Tetsurō’s Position in Japan’s Postwar Debate about Rationality.” In Philosophy East and West 51 (1): 1–25. Accessed May 4, 2014. http://www.jstor.org/stable/1400033.
Mayeda, Graham. 2006. Time, Space and Ethics in the Philosophy of Watsuji Tetsurō, Kuki Shūzō, and Martin Heidegger. New York: Routledge.
Miyagawa, Keishi 宮川敬之. 2008. Watsuji Tetsurō: Jinkaku kara aidagara e 和辻哲郎 人格から間柄へ (From Individuality to Betweenness). Tōkyō: Kōdansha.
Mochizuki, Tarō. 2006. “Climate and Ethics: Ethical Implications of Watsuji Tetsurō’s Concepts: ‘Climate’ and ‘Climaticity’.” Philosophia Osaka 1: 43–55. Accessed May 3, 2014. http://ir.library.osaka-u.ac.jp/dspace/bitstream/11094/12799/1/po_01_043.pdf.
Nagami, Isamu. 1981. “The Ontological Foundation in Tetsurō Watsuji’s Philosophy: Kū and Human Existence.” Philosophy East and West 31: 279–96. Accessed May 16, 2014. http://www.jstor.org/stable/1398575.
Oyama, Nao. 1990. “Some Recent Trends in Japanese Values: Beyond the Individual–Collective Dimension.” International Sociology 5: 445–59.
Sakai, Naoki. 1991. “Return to the West/Return to the East: Watsuji Tetsurō’s Anthropology and Discussions of Authenticity.” Japan and the World 28: 157–90. Accessed April 22, 2014. http://www.jstor.org/stable/303208.
Watsuji, Tetsurō 和辻哲郎. 2007. Rinrigaku 倫理学 (Ethics). Tōkyō: Iwanami shoten.
–––. 2011. Fūdo: Ningengakuteki kōsatsu 風土 人間学的考察 (Climate and Culture: A Philosophical Study). Tōkyō: Iwanami shoten.
Wu, Jeffrey. 2001. “The Philosophy of As-Is: The Ethics of Watsuji Tetsurō.” Stanford Journal of East Asian Affairs 1: 96–102. Accessed April 22, 2014. http://www.stanford.edu/group/sjeaa/journal1/japan2.pdf.
Yoshizawa, Denzaburō 吉沢伝三郎. 2006. Watsuji Tetsurō no menmoku 和辻哲郎の面目 (Watsuji Tetsuro’s Honour).Tōkyō: Heibonsha.
Downloads
Published
24. 07. 2015
Issue
Section
Discourses in Philosophical and Religious Studies
How to Cite
VOJTÍŠKOVÁ, Kristýna. 2015. “The Crisis of Japanese Identity in the 21st Century and Watsuji Tetsurō’s Ethics”. Asian Studies 3 (1): 129-44. https://doi.org/10.4312/as.2015.3.1.129-144.
