Place and Dialectic: Two Essays by Nishida Kitaro

by John W.M. Krummel, Shigenori Nagatomo

Overview

Place and Dialectic presents two essays by Nishida Kitaro, translated into English for the first time by John W.M. Krummel and Shigenori Nagatomo. Nishida is widely regarded as one of the father figures of modern Japanese philosophy and as the founder of the first distinctly Japanese school of philosophy, the Kyoto school, known for its synthesis of western philosophy, Christian theology, and Buddhist thought. The two essays included here are ''Basho'' from 1926/27 and ''Logic and Life'' from 1936/37. Each essay is divided into several sections and each section is preceded by a synopsis added by the translators.

The first essay represents the first systematic articulation of Nishida's philosophy of basho, literally meaning ''place,'' a system of thought that came to be known as ''Nishida philosophy.'' In the second essay, Nishida inquires after the pre-logical origin of what we call logic, which he suggests is to be found within the dialectical unfoldings of world history and human society. A substantial introduction by John Krummel considers the significance of Nishida as a thinker, discusses the key components of Nishida's philosophy as a whole and its development throughout his life, and contextualizes the translated essays within his oeuvre. The Introduction also places Nishida and his work within the historical context of his time, and highlights the relevance of his ideas to the global circumstances of our day. The publication of these two essays by Nishida, a major figure in world philosophy and the most important philosopher of twentieth-century Japan, is of significant value to the fields not only of Asian philosophy and East-West comparative philosophy but also of philosophy in general as well as of theology and religious studies.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780199841172
Publisher:	Oxford University Press
Publication date:	12/15/2011
Series:	AAR Religions in Translation
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	288
Product dimensions:	6.40(w) x 9.40(h) x 1.00(d)

About the Author

John W.M. Krummel is Assistant Professor of Religious Studies at Hobart and William Smith Colleges.

Shigenori Nagatomo is Professor of Comparative Philosophy and East Asian Buddhism at Temple University.

Table of Contents

Reference List of Nishida's Works
Basho, World, and Dialectics: an Introduction to the Philosophy of Kitaro Nishida by John W.M. Krummel
Basho
Logic and Life
Glossary
Bibliography

Editorial Reviews

"Place and Dialecticis an outstanding and at times brilliant translation of two essays central to the work of the Japanese philosopher Nishida Kitaro including his trailblazing essay 'Basho.' The translators' sensitivity for the nuances of the Japanese and English languages as well as their first-rate understanding of Nishida's place in the history of philosophy ensure the quality of this must-read for anyone interested in philosophy. This translation will go a long way of making the philosophy of Nishida accessible to those unfamiliar with the Japanese philosophical tradition and language as it highlights Nishida's unique contribution to world philosophy."
— Gereon Kopf, Associate Professor of Religion, Luther College

"This book decisively elevates the level of Nishida studies, making it amply clear that Nishida developed his thought in response to Western philosophers. 'Basho' (1926) and 'Logic and Life' (1936), meticulously translated here with copious notes, are essential works, wherein Nishida's core philosophical vision, which took shape in the notion of basho (place) and the dialectical world, is unfolded. A must-read for anyone seriously interested in philosophizing on a global stage."
— Michiko Yusa, Professor of Japanese & East Asian Studies, Western Washington University

"Nishida was the foremost philosopher of twentieth-century Japan, and the translators of this volume deserve our gratitude for making two of his most significant essays available in English. Now a wider audience can appreciate a truly global thinker of fierce intelligence elaborating an idea of 'place,' or topos, that is clearer and perhaps deeper than Plato's chora, as well as a life-rooted logic that is more Heraclitean than Aristotelian."
—Graham Parkes, Professor of Philosophy and Head of the School of Philosophy & Sociology, University College Cork

From the Publisher