1998 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary
The Roots of Boundary Problems : A Poietic Study in Human Distinctions
| Project/Area Number |
08451003
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| Research Category |
Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
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| Allocation Type | Single-year Grants |
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| Section | 一般 |
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| Research Field |
Philosophy
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| Research Institution | Chiba University |
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Principal Investigator |
FUJIMOTO Takashi Chiba University, Department of Philosophy, Professor, 文学部, 教授 (20001795)
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| Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha) |
IZUMI Chiye Chiba University, Philosophy, Associate Professor, 文学部, 助教授 (70301091)
YOKOTE Yutaka Chiba University, Philosophy, Associate Professor, 文学部, 助教授 (10240201)
KUTSUNA Keizo Chiba University, Philosophy, Associate Professor, 文学部, 助教授 (70192028)
TAKAHASHI Kyuichiro Chiba University, Philosophy, Professor, 文学部, 教授 (60197134)
IIDA Nobuyuki Chiba University, Philosophy, Professor, 文学部, 教授 (90009663)
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| Project Period (FY) |
1996 – 1998
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| Keywords | Ability of Distinction / Boundaries / Human Conflicts / Taboos / Discriminations / Periphery / Globalizability / Abstention |
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| Research Abstract |
In this research work we have confirmed that the human nature for distinguishing one thing from another in terms of genus and species in our environments often tends to induce us to discriminate either one of the dichotomously divided pairs of opposed concepts. Thus, e.g., the Zoroastrian or Pythagorean table of opposites (Aristotelian "systoichia") is a typical example of distinguishing and discriminating each one often contrasted oppositions like light" and "darkness", "straight" and "crooked", "good" and "bad", "man" and "woman", etc. This type of dualistic conception has exerted a strong influence not only on Greek and Judaic frames of reference but also on modern Western ways of thinking and acting.
After examining those boundary problems which arise between historically influential dualisms, we have tried to solve or dissolve the problems of demarcations between "green" and "red", "reason" and "passion", "science" and "non-science", "orthodox" and "heathen", "fact" and "value", "normal" and "abnormal", or physical borderlines of nation states.
Usually the boundaries are merely conceptual and virtual, while the human conflicts across these boundaries are real and actual. Both human creativity and disaster result from our trials to go across them. But we need to learn from our history of human disasters and prevent miserable effects by abstaining from our acts that may cause them.
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