Can think of the name of a Japanese philosopher without looking one up? Do you know any?
I want to do something here that I should have done when I first started writing online posts. I would like to introduce some important figures of modern Japanese philosophy.
In current scholarship on modern Japanese philosophy, we are used to distinguishing two “schools,” that is, groups of philosophers, the “Kyoto School” (mostly for prewar Japan) and the “Tokyo School” (mostly for postwar Japan).
In this post, I would like to introduce you to the first important figure of the Kyoto School (Kyōto gakuha 京都学派), its so-called founder, Nishida Kitarō 西田幾多郎 (1870–1945).
The Life of the Philosopher Nishida Kitarō in a Few Words
Nishida Kitarō is a Japanese philosopher known for his profound contributions to the development of modern Japanese philosophy. He was born in the village of Mori (now in Ishikawa Prefecture) in 1870, two years after the Meiji Restoration.
Nishida showed intellectual aptitude from an early age. He would go on to study philosophy at the Imperial University of Tokyo, where he was exposed to Western philosophical ideas.
Nishida’s philosophical journey is marked by a deep exploration of both Eastern and Western traditions of thought. Influenced by Asian and Japanese ways of thinking, especially Buddhism, he aimed to contribute to philosophical inquiry as a non-Westerner.
In 1911, Nishida published his first book, A Study of the Good 『善の研究』, which gave the first impetus to what is now known as the Kyoto School of philosophy.
Nishida’s philosophical contributions brought him recognition both in Japan and internationally. He taught at Kyoto Imperial University from 1910 until 1928 and continued to develop his philosophical ideas until his death in 1945.
He is undoubtedly the most influential Japanese philosopher of the 20th century.
The Three Periods of His Philosophy
When it comes to Nishida’s philosophy, scholars usually distinguish three periods. Jacynthe Tremblay, one of the foremost experts on Nishida’s philosophy, dates these three periods as follows:
The first period is considered to be from about 1910 to 1923. This period includes Nishida’s works from A Study of the Good to the writing of From That Which Acts to That Which Sees 『働くものから見るものへ』 (published in 1927). During this period, and especially in A Study of the Good, he discussed the idea of “pure experience” (junsui keiken 純粋経験).
The second period is from 1923 to the 1930s. It represents the beginning of his thought on logic and an attempt to elaborate a more systematic philosophy, in particular based on a reinterpretation of Hegelian dialectics. It is also the beginning of his work to elaborate a “logic of place” (basho-teki ronri 場所的論理).
Finally, the third period covers the time from the writing of Fundamental Problems of Philosophy: The World of Action『哲学の根本問題――行為の世界』 (1933) until Nishida’s passing. This is the period when he developed his analysis of the historical world. It is also where he most explicitly mentioned Buddhist and Christian thought.
For Further Reading
If you would like to learn more about Nishida, there are several English studies of Nishida Kitarō’s philosophy. However, the problem is that English academic introductions to his work are usually very expensive. It seems that the business model of many English publishers works differently from what readers of other languages can experience.
Before you buy an expensive book, I would recommend that you first have a look at the entry on Nishida’s philosophy in the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. It will give you a general overview of Nishida’s philosophy and concepts, as well as many reading suggestions.
You can also have a look at the open access European Journal of Japanese Philosophy, which includes studies in English as well as in other languages, and where it is possible to read papers on the main figures of modern Japanese philosophy as well as translations of some important texts.
Thank you for introducing Nishida Kitaro ***
I just reached page 115 on your book which floored me a bit because of all the words I had to find, at the same time as this post on Nishida Kitaro. The Catuskofi that focuses on the four corners of Buddhist philosophy...I also came across it in sanscrit, then read about Graham Priest with a fifth way, although I was unable to find that fifth corner. I liked Yamauchi's interpretatiojn of the four types of animal love. I wondered about Nishida Kitaro's thoughts on a non-dualistic world and the concept of nothingness. Curiously, in the qabbalistic tree, there are three sephora outside of the Tree of Life..(Four trees) and Ain is nothing and out of nothing come ain soph limitless nothing and from that comes ain soph aur, limitless light. I also liked his words at 26 years old: The bottom of my soul has such depth; Neither joy nor the waves of sorrow can reach it.