Philosophical Thought and Sociological Theory in Postwar Japan

Abstract

First in this paper, after discussing the changes in knowledge in 1960-70's, the development of philosophical thought of Japan in this period is discussed from the perspective of phenomenology. And next, the relationship of these thoughts to Japanese sociological theory in 1960-70's and in 1980's are investigated.Among these changes in knowledge are several typical trends including inquiries into science and positivism in general, questions about the essence and functions of language such as studies on speech-act theory and language-game theory and the re-interpretation of Saussure's linguistics, problems raised by structuralism on Western modernity, reinterpretations of Marxism, and new developments in phenomenological philosophy by Husserl and Merleau-Ponty. While focusing briefly on the opposing views between Marxian sociology and sociological functionalism, and between sociological functionalism and phenomenological sociology, it is demonstrated by bibiographical reference that during the process of change in philosophical thought inquiries into the problem of subjectivity inevitably reached its fundamental level, that is, the level of intersubjectivity. Above all, the studies in fundamental interaction at the intersubjective pre-linguistic level, argued by Japanese philosophers in 1960-70's, are dealt with at §. 2 in this paper.However, investigations into the problem of intersubjectivity in Japanese sociological theory did not develop sufficiently until the 1990's. Today, there exists a rift between those sociologists who support sociological theory which chooses not to study this problem and those sociologists who support sociological investigations (including phenomenological sociology) which choose to study intersubjectivity and life-world at the fundamental level. Finally, the importance of the latter point of view is asserted in this paper.