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"GFJ Commentary"
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"GFJ Commentary" presents views of members and friends of GFJ on the relations of Japan with the rest of the world and other related international affairs. The view expressed herein is the author's own and should not be attributed to GFJ.
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No.67: Can The Path Really Teach About the Good Life?
By KURANISHI Masako
Political Scientist
A few weeks ago, I found an intriguing book review in the Nikkei
Shimbun which introduced The Path: What Chinese Philosophers Can Teach About
the Good Life, by Professor Michael Puett at Harvard University and
Christine Gross-Loh. According to the author's interpretation, it seems that
the ancient Chinese philosophies could be understood as dangerous thoughts.
The reviewer summarizes the author's understanding of the common
ancient Chinese view of life and the world as follows: "People live in
unfair society, and their efforts are not necessarily rewarded. The virtue
loses, and the evil prospers.
Therefore, any pursuit of harmony and of ideal will end up in vain in
such a world; thus, in a world of such disorder, we have to make a decision
one by one and to become constantly receptive to new things, facing the
complexity of circumstance and the irrationality of our fates."
In Japan, Confucianism has been generally interpreted as the lectures
that guide people to form a well-ordered society on the basis of the strict
moral code indicated by Confucius, though it tends to fall into formalism;
and the philosophy of Laozi and Zhuangzi has been regarded as a kind of
naturalism which suggests us to live involuntarily, unintentionally or idly
in order to acquire 'Dao' ('Dao' is a natural Providence, which has been
often translated as 'the path' in English).
Such Japanese understandings of ancient Chinese thoughts are quite
different from the author's view.
Prof. Puett's interpretation, however, well explains the view of the
world held by the today's political leaders of China, rather than that of
ancient China. Their thoughts that the world is perpetually fractured and
amorphously fragmented in disorder seems to be the very reason why China has
behaved outrageously in the South China Sea.
They are eager to construct "the paths" of their selfish desire in
order to maximize their interests under the pretext of "self-cultivation" and try to hold them with 'faits accomplis.'
This book is written as an "enlightening book" for students and
business persons. Just by this point, I feel concern over the risk that the
more they would be inspired by the Prof. Puett's view of "Chinese
Philosophies" and would come to conduct themselves self-righteously in the
real world, the more they would disrespect the law and order to achieve
their individualistic purposes. Then, such people would not care anything
about the trouble to others.
Anyway, one thing is clear that ancient Chinese philosophers,
Confucius, Mencius, Laozi, Zhuangzi, and Xunzi deplored somber realities of
their days in China. With taking up their ink brushes, they tried to show
the ways of how people can live morally and virtuously in good order
(Nevertheless, historically some scholars and philosophers have pointed out
some substantial defects in them).
Considering their discernment of the intrinsic issues of their
nations and communities, it is extremely doubtful if all of ancient Chinese
philosophers suggest us to accept distressful "fragmented worlds and messy
real life" as they were, and encourage us to behave as China is doing now.
(This is the English translation of an article written by KURANISHI Masako,
Political Scientist, which originally appeared on the e-Forum "Giron-Hyakushutsu (Hundred Views in Full Perspective)" of GFJ on May 31,
2016, and was posted on "GFJ Commentary" as no.67 on June 28, 2016.)
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For more views and opinions in the backnumber of "GFJ Commentary," the latest of which are as follows, please refer to:
http://www.gfj.jp/e/e-letter/back_number.html
No.66: Japan Should Hold and Secure "Potential Nuclear Capability"
by KATO Seiichi, former attorney-at-law
(12 April 2016)
No.65: Terrorism causes prejudice and discrimination against Muslims - the collective responsibility of Muslims
by KURANISHI Masako, Political Scientist
(25 February 2016)
No.64: The presence of U.S. and Russia lent weight to G20
by KAWAKAMI Takashi, Professor, Takushoku University
(16 December 2015)
No.63: Prime Minister ABE Should Retract His Pledge to Mark "A Departure
from the Post-war Regime"
by TANIMOTO Taku, Corporate Staff
(31 October 2015)
No.62: Greece and Korea - Analogy of the two peninsulas
by KURANISHI Masako, Political Scientist
(31 August 2015)
No.61: Does the USA Assume Japan and China Agree to Reshelf the Senkaku
Issue?
by TSUMORI Shigeru, Professor Emeritus, Toyo Eiwa University
(29 June 2015)
"GFJ Updates"
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"GFJ Updates" introduces to you the latest events, announcements and/or publications of GFJ.
Event
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"Japan-Asia Pacific Dialogue" on "International Order in the 21st Century
and the Security of Maritime Asia" Held
The Global Forum of Japan (GFJ) organized the "Japan-Asia Pacific Dialogue" on "International Order in the 21st Century and the Security of Maritime
Asia" in Tokyo on July 12, 2016, under the co-sponsorship by Meiji Institute
for Global Affairs (MIGA) / Meiji Institute of International Policy Studies
(MIIPS), The Japan Forum on International Relations (JFIR), and Western
Sydney University.
This "Dialogue" was attended by 111 participants including H.E. NAKATANI
Gen, Minister of Defense, as the keynote speaker and such eminent experts on
the theme as follows:
From the Japanese side: Prof. ITO Go / Meiji Univ., Prof. SATO Koichi / J.F.
Oberlin Univ., Dr. SHOJI Tomotaka / National Institute for Defence Studies,
Prof. YAMADA Yoshihiko / Tokai Univ., Prof. ASANO Ryo / Doshisha Univ., and
Associate Prof. SUZUKI Taketo / Meiji Univ.
From the Asia-Pacific side: Dr. David WALTON / Western Sydney University
(Australia), Dr. NGUYEN Thi Lan Anh / Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam
(Vietnam), Prof. YOU Ji / Univ. of Macau (China), Prof. Hikmahanto JUWANA /
Univ. of Indonesia (Indonesia), Prof. Virginia WATSON / Asia-Pacific Center
for Security Studies (USA & The Philippines), and Prof. Pham Quang MINH /
Univ. of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National Univ.-Hanoi
(Vietnam).
Lively discussions were held in the two Sessions of "The Security of
Maritime Asia from a Global Perspective" and "How to Maintain Maritime Asia
Open, Free and Peaceful." This "Dialogue" was convened on the same day as
the Permanent Court of Arbitration in Hague issued the Award in the
arbitration concerning the South China Sea issues.
For the Conference Paper distributed at the "Dialogue," please refer to;
http://www.gfj.jp/e/dialogue/20160712_cp.pdf
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