2006 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary

Research on Karl Lowith and Masao Maruyama in a way of comparative study of the history of thought

Research Project

Project/Area Number	16520069
Research Category	Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
Allocation Type	Single-year Grants
Section	一般
Research Field	History of thought
Research Institution	Beppu University
Principal Investigator	SATO Rui Beppu University, Faculty of Humanities, Professor, 文学部, 教授 (10105562)
Project Period (FY)	2004 – 2006
Keywords	modern spirit / death of God / nihilism / radicalism / critical mind / Christian worldview / redemption / historicism
Research Abstract	Aim of my Research is a comparative study of thoughts and views of Karl Lowith and Masao Maruyama, especially their views of modern times, politics, science, history and human life. They both were excellent thinkers in the 20th century with free, critical mind. However their views of modern times and modern spirits are very different from each other's. In my opinion, Maruyama is, after Hegel and Weber, a scholar who grasped most deeply the significance of modern spirits. On the other hand, Lowith is, after Weber, a scholar who grasped most deeply the inevitable decline of modern spirits. Therefore, a comparative study of Maruyama and Lowith must be significant. In this research I studied why and how Maruyama affired modern times, history and human life, and why Lowith do not affirm modern times, history and human life. Through my study, it seems clear that the difference in views of modern times between Maruyama and Lowith relates to the difference in their views of history and human life.

(2 results)