International Christian University Repository / 国際基督教大学リポジトリ
Not a member yet
5325 research outputs found
Sort by
A study of Kappa : from a perspective of industrialization and humanity
Get PDFThis study examines the story of “Kappa” (1927) by Ryunosuke Akutagawa, a famous writer in Taisho-period. The subject of “Kappa” narrates his experience in the kappa world from the perspective of the mad protagonist No.23, thus satirizing the Japanese society at that time with the fictional kappa world. In terms of the related research, it can be divided into the following aspects. Firstly, based on the Japanese society at that time, this paper focuses on the social criticism of Kappa”.Secondly, combined with the author’s own experiences, it discusses Akutagawa’s views on love and religion. Thirdly, it expounds the arrogant significance in the work. Since “Kappa” is very popular with modern readers, as opposed to the author's personal level, the significance of this novel for modern society is worth exploring. This paper focuses on the chapter eight which describes the book factory, and from a perspective of industrialization and humanity, how does Akutagawa describe the individual subjects in modern society? What is the enlightenment for modern society? In addition, why does the protagonist go mad? By discussing the above problems, this paper expounds the related problems of human survival revealed in “Kappa”.Firstly, this paper discusses the characteristics of “Kappa”, thus establishing its position in Akutagawa literature. Particularly in the latter part of the discussion, with Hutcheon's theory, it discusses the playful expression techniques, thus making it clear that “Kappa” reflects the Japanese society at that time.Chapter two and chapter three discuss in detail the description of the mechanized representative space book manufacturing factory in chapter eight. The large equipment in the factory and the rapidly running machines hinted at the rapid development of Japan's industrialization at that time. In particular, the contrast between the factory technicians and machines hints at a social reality that human labor is gradually replaced by machinery. However, the phenomenon that the production of books and other works of art is like the general raw material processing manufacturing industry implies the violence and desires of modern industrialization. At the same time, it also reflects the author's vigilance to the industrial progress which will replace the human imagination and creativity.The relationship between machines and humans implied in “Kappa” isreminiscent of the existence of artificial intelligence in modern society. Machines can replace not only human labor, but also human brains. At the time when the work was published, it was a fantasy, while in modern society, it comes to be a reality. Therefore, to some extent, “Kappa” has a prophetic nature towards the modern society.In chapter four, it discusses the essence of the unemployment problems inthe kappa society. In the kappa society, the law stipulated that the unemployed workers should be eaten as food. The fact of the commercialized body, which also exists in Japanese society, not only embodies the violence and cruelty of western culture, but also reflects the fundamental problems that the loss of human subjects will pose a threat to human survival. In addition, the punishment regulations in kappa society also reflect the hypocrisy of western modern rationalism.Finally, this paper discusses the relationship between the frenzy of theprotagonist of “Kappa”, namely the No.23 and the social industrialization. By analyzing the crazy reasons of the No.23 and his willingness to return to the kappa world, we can witness that the rapidly developing industrialized society can pose a threat to the human survival forms. The frenzy of the No.23 can be attributed to the antagonism between human nature and industrialization, which is a question to the development of modern society, thus stimulating readers to ponder on the human survival forms under the industrialization development. The threat to human creativity embodied in the description of book factories, the commoditized body of the unemployed, the hypocrisy of modern rationalism exposed by the penal systems, and the loss of human subjects implied by the frenzy of the No.23 are all fundamental problems about human survival in the industrialized society. In “Kappa”, Akutagawa’s reflections on the modern Japanese society are not only enlightening but also alarming in modern society.departmental bulletin pape
The revival movement for Onmyōdō divination studies and practice in the Meiji period
Get PDFdepartmental bulletin pape
Lived experience of male victims of sexual assault : description of first-person phenomenological accounts
Get PDFMen are victims of sexual assaults, however it is often regarded as “no bigdeal.” This paper aims to clarify what is the experience of sexual assault bymale victims, which has been regarded as similar to the experience by femalevictims. This article discusses how men—in terms of their gender identity—make sense of their experience of sexual assault and find it difficult toconceptualize.After reviewing previous studies regarding male victims of sexual assault,it seems necessary to rethink the meaning of a sexual assault experience fromthe perspective of a male victim. In order to gain an in-depth understandingof male victims of sexual assault, I refer to feminist phenomenology anddescribe my own experiences through a first-person phenomenologicalaccount.The description of the experience—from the viewpoint of a male victimof sexual assault who lives in a patriarchal society—is concerned with age,male genital organs, feelings of sexual pleasure, and penetration, because theyall affect the recognition of the relationship between men and sexualvictimization.When men are victims of sexual assault, and thus, are turned into sexualobjects, they cannot recognize their sex/gender as men. It is almost impossibleto identify as a sexual victim while staying in a traditionally masculinegendered position. When men experience sexual assault there are feelings ofvulnerability, and a vague sense of subjectivity that halts their lived experienceas men, particularly during the assault.The effects of the traumatic event on men cannot be underestimated.However, men still live in a patriarchal society in which male victims still holdon to certain male privileges. Therefore, we ought to think critically about malevictims of sexual assault and men living in a patriarchal society.departmental bulletin pape
Ainu’s Identity, Historical Struggle, and Ethnic-Revitalization Movements
Get PDF日本は単一民族社会だと考えられてきたが，この数十年，論争が起こっている。人種，民族の純粋さ を重視する日本の排他主義は，日本が島国であり，鎖国政策によって日本人特有の感覚が培われてきた 為に生じた。アイヌは元来白系だとみなされ，他の日本人と異なる為，政府の同化政策によって抑圧さ れてきたが，事実，アイヌは民族文化を持つ日本の先住民族である。２００７年の国連総会でアイヌが 日本の先住民族であると承認され，翌年日本政府も事実を認めた。しかし，アイヌへの偏見差別，経済， 社会，教育問題は未解決であり，アイヌに関する研究も少ない。本論文ではアイヌと日本人アイデンティ ティを比較し，経済不平等，階級差別へのアイヌの歴史的闘争を検証し，アイヌ民族復活運動を分析する。 本研究により，教育者がアイヌアイデンティティ，文化伝承，歴史及びアイヌ民族復活運動の理解と知 識を深め，積極的にアイヌの人権尊重に取り組むことを願う。Japan is thought to be a racially and ethnically monolingual, homogeneous society. However, the notion of Japan’s homogeneity has been controversial for decades. Japan’s ethnocentrism derives from the fact that Japaneseness has been developed because Japan geographically is an island country and historically had closed the country to keep it secure. Thus the purity of Japaneseness relating to race and ethnicity became crucial. Ainu were said to be of Caucasian roots, now disproven with no racial affinity to the Japanese. In fact, Ainu are indigenous people of Japan and the Ainu culture was formed centuries ago. However, Ainu had suffered from assimilation to the mainstream culture and oppressions due to their biological and ethnic differences from the rest of the Japanese. After their historical struggles, the United Nations finally affirmed in 2007 that the Ainu are indigenous people of Japan, followed by the approval of the Japanese government in 2008. However, today there still remain prejudice and discrimination against Ainu and economic, social, and educational issues. Little research has been conducted concerning human rights issues of Ainu within a global context. This paper will 1) compare Ainu’s identity with Japan’s national identity in relation to Japaneseness; 2) examine Ainu’s historical struggle of economic inequality and social stratification; and 3) analyze Ainu’s ethnic-revitalization movements concerning human rights. Today people still lack of understanding of Ainu’s identity, cultural tradition, and history. Thus, this study will benefit educators providing them with knowledge of and positive attitudes toward the Ainu and their ethnic-vitalization movements.departmental bulletin pape
Reconsidering the criticisms on Cultural Relativism in Information Ethics
Get PDFIt is said that a characteristic of contemporary society is the development of ICT (Information and Communication Technology) and its globalization. Some ethicists stress the necessity of universal criteria of relationships between ICT and society. From the view of universalism, it is preferable to have common ethics on ICT in global society beyond the areas. They criticize the viewpoints of cultural relativism or pluralism. However, the premises of their criticisms are not necessarily self-evident. This paper aims to reconsider the concerned premises by analyzing the relationship between universalism and cultural relativism from the views of the philosophy of science and sociology. A typical example of universalism in information ethics is the concept of “core value” proposed by James H. Moor. According to him, common values such as life, happiness, freedom and so on are common to every culture. He says that common values are fundamental aspects in addressing global issues. Deborah G. Johnson also criticizes cultural relativism. She points out the inconsistences of cultural relativism. When cultural relativists appeal the importance of toleration based on the ideas of relativity and variety of cultures, their premise is that everyone should tolerate others belonging to different cultures. They assume that every culture should be tolerant, which is precisely a universalistic approach.However, the antagonism between universalism and cultural relativism is not self-evident anymore. Yoichiro Murakami shows the paradoxical relationship between them from the viewpoint of the philosophy of science. Universalists try to universalize the fruits of modern civilization. Still, they do not necessarily succeed in achieving their aims because local residents protest the waves of modernization by claiming the importance of their own cultures and values. Cultural relativists also find themselves in a dilemma. They try to support the movements of local residents to protect their cultures and values. Still, some residents want to change their traditional lifestyle by accepting the fruits of modern civilization. Murakami says that it is necessary to relativize the antagonism itself between universalism and cultural relativism. To put it into practice, he proposes that one should continuously seek less-conflictual solutions, instead of the least-conflictual one. Niklas Luhmann also sociologically analyzes the paradoxical matter mentioned above. He explains the difference between a first-order observation and a second-order one. A first-order observation is when one claims relativity and the existence of a variety of cultures. In its turn, a secondorder observation is when one observes what and how one observes, that is, one observes observation. Based on these definitions, it can be said that the dilemmas of universalism and cultural relativism are the result of a secondorder observation. Luhmann proposes that one should attributively return to a first-order observation. If one can share the understanding about material common grounds such as lifestyle with others, he/she may tolerate others despite the differences of values and ideologies. In this way, one can coexist with others without consensus-building though the understanding is a fiction. Murakami and Luhmann's proposals show how to escape the dilemmas of universalism and cultural pluralism stemming from their antagonism. They show a possibility to establish a new viewpoint of information ethics beyond this antagonism.departmental bulletin pape
On the Notion of Revolution by I. Kant –Modern Revolution as Action for Freedom by Citizen–
Get PDFThere have been various debates about whether Immanuel Kant supported revolutions. Through the change in Kant᾽s assessment of the French Revolution, this essay attempts to show that Kant did not deny the revolutions and the right of resistance. In his assessment, a revolution was a significant movement for freedom. According to Hannah Arendt, the modern revolution was an action for freedom and represented a development in human history. Furthermore, she points out that what the French Revolution needed was a new postrevolutionary regime and God as absolute authority. She characterizes the French Revolution as a failed revolution or a setback to an actual revolution. This conclusion flows from the understanding that, for Arendt, the French Revolution departed from the direction revolutions should take. The aim of the revolution was no longer for freedom but the happiness of the people. Kant took a great interest in the French Revolution. However, Kant᾿s concern was more with human enlightenment than with the revolution itself. On the other hand, there is the view that Kant denied the revolution (especially in Der Streit der Fakultäten). The reason for thinking this way is that Kant recognized that the Germans of his time were not as mature as the French. He could not imagine that the inexperienced Germans, who had to be enlightened, would succeed in a revolution that even the French had failed. The second reason is that the French Revolution failed to attain the freedom that Kant sought. Kant saw the revolution as an action that sought freedom and was eager for freedom. However, as the French Revolution progressed, freedom had ceased to be the object of the revolution. The French Revolution failed to create the freedom that Kant sought. That was the cause of Kant᾿s assessment of the French Revolution and the change in his expectations.departmental bulletin pape
