Watsuji Value Crisis Analysis

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An interpretation of Watsuji´s ethics in the context of value crisis of Japanese society The before mentioned outline of relation between humanity, betweenness and emptiness implies that, in Watsuji´s terms, the dialogue between individuality and sociality, that is supposed to occur incessantly in betweenness, falls silent. Or, to be more illustrative, the individual unable to put up with a social pressure to integrate into society who finally resigns on himself or the society, brings about the cessation of dialogue (Couteau 2006, 285-286). The society composed of resigned individuals certainly is unwilling to comply with common interest and also ends silent towards the individual. Without even slightest hint of a response, there is no …show more content…

The virtue of sincerity (makoto誠) serves as the foundation of trustworthiness, truthfullness and honesty. To be sincere means that a person will act as he says he will act. Hence, that person is perceived as one that can be counted on to deliver to his word. Furhermore, it connotes a recognition of one´s intrinsic or innate agenda that one attempts to express in one´s behaviour and acting. In any community and society, sincerity reveals an attitude of mutual trust as an integral part of what is already embedded in betweenness of interpersonal relationships (Carter, 2013, …show more content…

It could also serve as a challenge to understand oneself better and to set conditions of new initiation of dialogue. At the heart of Watsuji´s ethics, I assume, there is a possible path to follow, which resides in a resolute implementation of Watsuji´s ethical outlook. The resolute implementation here is not an imperative, it is but an equal manifestation of both individuality and sociality, a middle path between the liberal and the communitarian attitude, between the individualism and the totalitarianism. Such a middle path might be reached by means of newly established trust in purely human qualities such as benevolence, trustworthiness, truthfullness and sincerity. In other words, there ought to be kokoro in betweenness and this kokoro should display the humanity and reflect the humanity of others (Couteau, 2006,