Japanese Philosophies of Education - (Bloomsbury Introductions to World Philosophies) by Anton Sevilla-Liu (Hardcover)

About the Book

Grounded in Japanese philosophy and ideas of non-duality and emptiness, this is a much-welcomed contribution to central issues in philosophy of education.

Book Synopsis

Grounded in Japanese philosophy and ideas of non-duality and emptiness, this is a much-welcomed contribution to central issues in philosophy of education. Anton Sevilla-Liu uses the thought of ethicist Watsuji Tetsuro (1889-1960) and philosopher of education Mori Akira (1915-1976) to address the dangers of self-centeredness and conformism in a competitive education system. When individual performance is encouraged, is there a way to stress relationality without losing the sense of individuality and uniqueness?

We are introduced to Watsuji and Mori's enlightening views on education, deeply rooted in spiritual insights that originate in Buddhism and Confucianism while engaging human sciences. By applying their theories to educational practices, Sevilla-Liu shows how to connect students' creative potential with a dynamic sense of community.

This engaging book outlines a vision of education that balances individual creativity with a sense of community, responding to real challenges in educational systems around the world. It is the ideal starting point for educators and students interested in Japanese ideas about learning and unlearning, doing and letting-go, and the unique dynamicity of the philosophy of emptiness.

Review Quotes

In this ground-breaking book, Anton Sevilla-Liu succeeds in bringing aspects of Japanese philosophical thinking to the Western reader in a highly readable and engaging way. Concentrating especially on the work of Mori, the philosophy of education, and Watsuji, the philosopher of place, the book shows the practical relevance of their thought to education, therapy, and the living of a human life. These important representatives of the Kyoto School of Philosophy - the only distinctively Japanese development of philosophy - bring together an inheritance of Western philosophical ideas with Eastern ways of life and thought in a manner that offers insights and possibilities for practice from which all can potentially benefit. Sevilla-Liu's writing is firmly grounded in his professional and practical experience, and his discussion is well attuned to and realistic about the stresses and challenges of the contemporary world.
Chair of Philosophy of Education, University College London, UK

About the Author

Anton Sevilla-Liu is Associate Professor for Clinical Pedagogy at Kyushu University, Japan. He is author of Watsuji Tetsurô's Global Ethics of Emptiness (2017) and translator of Sueki Fumihiko's Religion and Ethics at Odds: A Buddhist Counter-Position (2016) and Nishihira Tadashi's The Philosophy of No-Mind (2024).