"Self-awareness" in the Philosophy of Kitaro Nishida and the Mobilization of People in World War II

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  • 西田哲学における「自覚」 --<自覚せしめる動員>との関係--
  • 西田哲学における「自覚」 : 〈自覚せしめる動員〉との関係
  • ニシダ テツガク ニ オケル 「 ジカク 」 : 〈 ジカク セシメル ドウイン 〉 ト ノ カンケイ

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Abstract

The Japanese philosopher, Kitaro Nishida (1870-1945), developed the concept of "self-awareness" in his works. Previous studies have shown that Nishida greatly influenced the pedagogy of "self-awareness" in Japan in the period before and during World War II, and that h is c oncept was u sed t o m obilize Japanese people during wartime. Nishida's concept of "self-awareness" de facto served the purpose of mobilization in certain ways. According to Nishida, "self" must deny itself in order for "self-awareness" to truly occur. Using this idea, some leading educators during wartime argued that people should assimilate themselves into the nation and participate in the war so that they would become aware of their true selves. Contrary to this claim, this paper highlights that Nishida invalidates the typical argument for mobilization in his theory. By revisiting Nishida's works with a focus on his idea of "thou" and "the absence of universal thing that subsumes self and another self, " it attempts to add an alternative perspective to the pedagogy of "self-awareness."

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