This book offers the first introduction to a major Japanese
philosophical movement through the interests and arguments of its
founder, Nishida Kitaro (1870-1945), his successor, Tanabe Hajime
(1885-1962), and student-turned-critic, Tosaka Jun (1900-1945). Focusing
on their contributions to thinking about place, space, and dialectics,
this concise introduction brings these influential thinkers to life by
connecting their work to issues still debated in the philosophy of
science and physics today.
Beginning with an overview of the reception of quantum physics and
relativity theory in Japan and concluding with an account of the direct
relevance of the Kyoto School to the development of world philosophy in
a posthuman age, each clearly-written chapter engages historical
contexts and includes:
- Carefully-chosen excerpts and original translations of Nishida,
Tanabe, and Tosaka
- Focus boxes explaining complex concepts and problems of
contextualization
- A timeline, glossary and index
- Further reading lists featuring relevant and significant articles and
books in English
This introduction is an ideal starting point for students and lecturers
looking to become better acquainted with three central Japanese
philosophers and learn why their work impacts our current thinking about
science.