A comparative study of the concept of "compassion" in animal ethics among contemporary Western European sphere and Japanese philosophy after the 20th century

2020 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 17K02199
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Philosophy/Ethics
• Research Institution: Doshisha University (2020); Nagano National College of Technology (2017-2019)
• Principal Investigator: kito Yoko 同志社大学, 文学部, 准教授 (00756554)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-04-01 – 2021-03-31
• Keywords: 動物倫理 / 憐れみ / 動物神学 / 感情主義

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In this study, I examined the concept of “compassion” in Western philosophy and Japanese philosophy. Results show that there is a tendency that, from the perspective of modern ethics and philosophy, “compassion" is considered to occur because oneself and others are inherently vulnerable and share finiteness. In addition, in religious philosophies such as Japanese philosophy and Christian thought, the difference between animals and humans becomes an issue; however, this difference does not arise in the form of human superiority, but instead, humans have a greater responsibility for animals.

Free Research Field

哲学、倫理学、宗教哲学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究は、動物倫理における「憐れみ」概念に注目することにより、功利主義や動物権利論に基づくこれまでの動物倫理とは異なり、感情主義に基づく動物倫理という新たな領域に光を当てることができた。また動物倫理と宗教哲学との関連性の解明も、これまでの本邦における研究では不十分な側面であり、学術的意義がある。そして文献精査による成果に加え、海外の動物倫理研究者より研究書の分担執筆の依頼を受け、各研究書のテーマに沿った論文を執筆した。動物倫理とツーリズムの問題について、また動物倫理と気候変動についてといったテーマのもとでの研究成果を海外へ発信した。