Acting-Intuition and Pathos in Nishida and Miki: For the Invisible of the Post-Hiroshima Age, or Irradiated Bodies and Power

Abstract

AbstractOne of the hallmarks of Kitaro Nishida (1870-1945) and the Kyoto School formed around him is their emphatic endeavor to reconsider perennial philosophical questions from what they called the “stand of the acting-self.” In this paper we begin by bringing into relief the contemporary significance of Nishida’s pioneering notions – such as “logic of place,” “acting-intuition,” and “historical body” – by relating them to some kindred meditations by James, Merleau-Ponty, and Heidegger. Along the way, we call into question some shortcomings that we consider inherent in these philosophical perspectives – with special attention to their expression in the thought of Nishida’s disciple, Kiyoshi Miki, who sought to advance his master’s thought critically under the headings of “dialectics of logos and pathos” and “formative imagination.” Then, we discuss some issues regarding inhuman weapons – particularly the so-called DU (depleted uranium) weapons, which we regard as the “nuclear shadow” – in order to illustrate the aspects of human reality to which Nishida and Miki failed to give adequate consideration. In particular, we examine the destructive capabilities of our “technological bodies” and the reality of the often invisible “pathos of others” – especially in times of war – which ultimately is ours as well.