Kyle Shuttleworth - Panel 5 ENOJP Paris
Channel: European Network of Japanese Philosophy
Date: 2018-01-05

Watsuji Tetsuro’s Honraisei and Nishitani’s Śūnyatā as “Buddhist Authenticity” 

Kyle Shuttleworth (Queen’s University of Belfast, UK)

the supposed concept of authenticity
inherent within the thought of Watsuji Tetsuro. The general
consensus is that Watsuji does indeed advocate an ethic of authenticity.
In this enquiry it will be illustrated that many of
the ideals which Watsuji puts forth form a parallel with those
inherent within Nishitani Keiji’s thought. Although no such
term is employed by Nishitani to designate a concept of authenticity,
it will be argued, based on the criteria for Watsuji’s
concept, that Nishitani does indeed espouse such a concept.
The primary question which propels this enquiry is therefore
whether there is a concept of authenticity present within the
thought of Nishitani Keiji. Having demonstrated that there is,
it will then be claimed that these accounts not only constitute,
but ought to be categorised as forms of Buddhist authenticity.
The importance of attributing a concept of authenticity
to Japanese intellectual thought is not simply for categorical
purposes. Rather, the desirability of such is to increase philosophical
interaction between East and West.



This talk took place at the 3rd Conference of the European Network of Japanese Philosophy in Paris, Université Panthéon Sorbonne (Paris 1) and the Institut National des Langues et Civilisations Orientales (INALCO) from November 2-4, 2017.

For more informations:
http://enojp.org/
http://chisokudopublications.com/

Art Direction: Choplair (CC-BY 3.0)