In this paper, I explore a possible convergence between two great twentieth century thinkers, Nishida Kitarō of Japan and Martin Heidegger of Germany. The focus is on the quasi-religious language they employ in discussing the grounding of human existence in terms of an encompassing Wherein for our being. Heidegger speaks of “the sacred” and “the passing of the last god” that mark an empty clearing wherein all metaphysical absolutes or gods have withdrawn but are simultaneously indicative of an opening wherein (...) beings are given. Nishida speaks of “the religious” dimension in the depths of one's being, that he calls “place,” and that somehow envelops the world through its kenotic self-negation. In both we find reference to a kind of originary space—the open or place—associated with quasireligious themes. I also point to their distinct approaches to metaphysical language in their attempts to give voice to that abysmal thought. (shrink)

This English translation of Intuition and Reflection in Self-Consciousness evokes the movement and flavor of the original, clarifies its obscurities, and eliminates the repetitions.

Nishida's starting point -- Radical empiricism and pure experience -- Fichte, the neo-Kantians, and Bergson -- Nishida's later philosophy: the logic of place and self-contradictory identity.

Heidegger and East-Asian thought have traditionally been strongly correlated. However, although still largely unrecognized, significant differences between the political and metaphysical stance of Heidegger and his perceived counterparts in East-Asia most certainly exist. One of the most dramatic discontinuities between East-Asian thought and Heidegger is revealed through an investigation of Kitarō Nishida’s own vigorous criticism of Heidegger. Ironically, more than one study of Heidegger and East-Asian thought has submitted that Nishida is that representative of East-Asian thought whose philosophy most closely (...) resembles Heideggerian thought. In words that then and now resound discordantly within the enshrined, established view of Heidegger’s relationship to East-Asian thought, Nishida stated uninhibitedly his own view of Heidegger in the noteworthy statement: “Heidegger is not worth your time… He…does not recognize that which is indispensible and decisive, namely, God.” This present study lays out for the first time in English, the significant differences between the metaphysical and political stances of Nishida and Heidegger, Nishida’s own critique of Heidegger, and Heidegger’s own rather dismal assessment of non-Western philosophy, all of which demonstrate a remarkable, hitherto unrecognized discontinuity between Heidegger and East-Asian thought. (shrink)

Anfractuosité et unification consiste en une introduction à la pensée de Nishida Kitarô (1870-1945), au moyen du fil directeur interprétatif qu’est la notion d’« unification » (tôitsusuru). Que signifie unifier : atteindre une unité dernière, ou bien poursuivre « sans cesse » l’unité ? Une telle poursuite ne revient-t-elle pas à un « néant pur et simple » ? En fait, cette crainte ne proviendrait-elle pas de ce que l’homme ne peut faire face à l’« infini » qui se trouve (...) derrière l’être même ? Dès lors, à quel « lieu » correspondrait un tel « au-delà » ? La finitude serait-elle la limite du « soi », la notion d’être est-elle l’unique clé de l’histoire de la réalité ? Un « néant absolu » a-t-il encore quelque chose à voir avec l’être ? Michel Dalissier examine les réponses de Nishida à la faveur de trois explorations de ses oeuvres majeures, en insistant sur sa relation intellectuelle avec la philosophie occidentale, ainsi que sur les « annotations manuscrites » qu’il laissait dans ses livres. (shrink)