2005 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary
The foundations for "fundamental human rights" based on Kant's Critical Philosophy of Metaphysics
| Project/Area Number |
15520034
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| Research Category |
Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
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| Allocation Type | Single-year Grants |
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| Section | 一般 |
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| Research Field |
Philosophy/Ethics
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| Research Institution | Nagano National College of Technology |
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Principal Investigator |
NAKAMURA Hiroo Nagano National College of Technology, General Education, Professor, 一般科, 教授 (90141887)
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| Project Period (FY) |
2003 – 2005
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| Keywords | human rights / respect for the individual / respect for others / the Constitution of Japan / dignity of human beings / pacifism / critical philosophy / metaphysics |
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| Research Abstract |
After metaphysical analysis of "fundamental human rights" applying Kantian critical philosophy, it emerged that the substance of these rights was to be found in the essentials of the Constitution of Japan (CJ), i.e. "respect for the individual"(Art.13) and "the public welfare"("respect for others")(Art.12 & 13), "confidence in morality and reciprocal relationship of human beings" and "pledge to make honest efforts to accomplish the ideal of perpetual peace"(Preamble), and that the questions were whether these essentials may be correct in theory from the philosophical standpoint. If correct, whether they may be of use in practice or how the people can and should put them into practice.
According to Kantian moral-teleological philosophy developed in his Critique of Judgement and The Metaphysics of Morals, the essentials of the CJ are not only correct in theory but also of use in practice. Kant argues, it is a matter of autonomy of practical reason of each individual, in a sense, each nation or each international society composed of free individuals, who should and can cultivate themselves. Individuals should also be "conscious of ends that are also duty to make the human being as such his end", i.e."one's own perfection" and "the happiness of others" namely "respect for others" or "tolerance for others". Within this should be the essentials of democratic principles that would be universally accepted in the world today.
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