MACMILLAN Watsuji Tetsurô’s Global Ethics of Emptiness: A Contemporary Look at a Modern Japanese Philosopher (Global Political Thinkers)

This book is a rethinking of ethics and socio-political life through the ideas of Watsuji Tetsurô. Can we build a systematic philosophy of morality, society, and politics, not on the basis of identity and ego, but rather on the basis of selflessness? This book explores such an attempt by the leading ethicist of modern Japan. Using concrete examples and contemporary comparisons, and with careful reference to both English and Japanese sources, it guides the reader through Watsuji’s ideas. It engages three contemporary issues in depth: First, how do we approach the moral agent, as an autonomous being or as a fundamentally relational being? Second, is it the individual or the community that is the starting point for politics? And finally, is ethics something that is globally shared or something fundamentally local? This book aims to be an informative and inspiring resource for researchers, students, and laypersons interested in Buddhist thought. Review “Watsuji Tetsurō’s Global Ethics of Emptiness, offers a lucidly written, and welcome addition, to the growing literature on Watsuji Tetsurō. The content of Sevilla’s book is applicable and beneficial to all levels, from Watsuji scholars, to those who lack any prior knowledge.” (Kyle Michael James Shuttleworth, European Journal of Japanese Philosophy, Vol. 3, 2018) From the Back Cover This book is a rethinking of ethics and socio-political life through the ideas of Watsuji Tetsurô. Can we build a systematic philosophy of morality, society, and politics, not on the basis of identity and ego, but rather on the basis of selflessness? This book explores such an attempt by the leading ethicist of modern Japan. Using concrete examples and contemporary comparisons, and with careful reference to both English and Japanese sources, it guides the reader through Watsuji’s ideas. It engages three contemporary issues in depth: First, how do we approach the moral agent, as an autonomous being or as a fundamentally relational being? Second, is it the individual or the community that is the starting point for politics? And finally, is ethics something that is globally shared or something fundamentally local? This book aims to be an informative and inspiring resource for researchers, students, and laypersons interested in Buddhist thought. About the Author Anton Luis Sevilla is a full-time instructor at the Faculty of Arts and Science, and the Graduate School of Education at Kyushu University, Japan. He teaches and conducts research on Japanese philosophy and ethics of education. He is the translator of Sueki Fumihiko’s Religion and Ethics at Odds: A Buddhist Counter-Position and has numerous publications on the Kyoto School of Philosophy in Journal of Religious Ethics, Journal of Philosophy of Education, and Asian Philosophy.