Profiles

Professor KATAOKA Ryu

Affiliations :

Exploring the history of thought is like building a bridge

The history of thought helps cover the gap in time and space between our contemporaries and those who lived in the past, as well as people who belonged to a different culture. Another specific characteristic of the history of thought is that it seeks to link scientific research with society, as it breaks down the barriers between human sciences and humanities such as literature, history, or philosophy, and transcends the gap between humanities and natural sciences, serving as a lynchpin for various disciplines.
There is no template for this research. The first step is to determine the most urgent question for oneself. Personally, I strive to develop a new look on specific ideologies, cultures, and religious traditions of the East Asian countries, especially Japan and North and South Korea. In doing so, I also address issues that emerge between those countries today, as well as problems that characterize the frontier areas of contemporary Japan ― Okinawa and Tohoku.
My current aim is to master the vocabulary that will allow me to talk about the concepts of public sphere, life, spirituality, and peace in my own terms, as well as discuss them with people around me.
On the other hand, I am always willing to listen to issues raised by others, since doing so helps me expand my awareness about different problems.

  • Research, History
  • Books, papers, etc.
  • Courses
    History of Japanese Philosophy (General Lecture)
    Personal History
    Born 1965, Hiroshima.

    Graduated from Waseda University.
    Completed the master’s program in Asian Philosophy at the Graduate School of Letters, Arts and Sciences, Waseda University.

    Career:
    Lecturer, Sookmyung Women's University
    Professor, Graduate School of Arts and Letters, Tohoku University (current position)

    I specialize in Japanese intellectual history and comparative studies of East Asian thought, but recently I have become interested in public philosophy and philosophy of life.
    Degree
    Ph.D. (Literature)
    Field
    History of Japanese Thought; Comparative Studies of East Asian Thought
    Research Subject
    History of thought in East Asia of the early modern period (1995-present);
    East Asia in search of public philosophy and theory of life (2009-present);
    Reconsidering pacifism and theory of spirituality in modern East Asia (2015-present)
    Keywords
    Confucianism; applied sciences; public sphere; existence; spirituality; peace
    Affiliation
    Association of Japanese Intellectual History; Association for Studies of Chinese Society and Culture; The Confucianism Society of Japan, etc.
    Database of Researchers Information
    http://db.tohoku.ac.jp/whois/detail/7e380965111118071e55a531baf653fd.html
  • Books
    『日本思想史ハンドブック』、新書館、2008
    『公共する人間1 伊藤仁斎』、東京大学出版会、2011
    『公共する人間2 石田梅岩』、東京大学出版会、2011
    Academic Papers
    「朝鮮儒学の現代的意義」、『朝鮮儒学の巨匠たち』、春風社、2016
    「退渓門下から旅軒・張顕光にいたる「公共」 ―人間主体・社会・自然―」、『AJジャーナル』10、国士舘大学アジア・日本研究センター、2015、1-32
    「戦後から二十一世紀の日本思想史 ―「日本らしさ」の底流・「公私」(公共)を中心に―」、『日本思想史講座5―方法』、ぺりかん社、2015
    「日本思想史から見た韓国思想史の特徴 ―山崎闇斎と李退渓の「心は神明の舎」観の比較から―」、『東北大学文学研究科紀要』64、2015、220-250
    「天の秩序と東アジア思想」、『岩波講座日本の思想4自然と人為――「自然」観の変容』、岩波書店、2013、227-258