| Research Abstract |
Nowadays it is becoming more important and more necessary that we Japanese estimate deeply and apprehend comprehensively Cicero's wide mental world. The endeavor and diligence of tense and powerful unity between Theoria (all embracing investigations in mental world) and Praxis (all activities of political and social problems ) was the most splendid achievement of Cicero and this newly creative direction expresses the Roman special originality to the later world.
Through Cicero, the greatest philosopher of ancient Rom we Japanese should notice and apprehend our weak mentality and the traditional deficiency and need to give a new direction towards humanism, entire formation of human activity. In Rom specially in Cicero These two aspects, that is to say, theoretical wide interest - this is in a good meaning amateur-spirit - and official activity was the highest and most respectful aim in intellectual people.
Cicero was not only one example of unification of these both aspects, but also he w
… More
as a true creator of this mental direction in those days. "Who is Cicero?" "Which endeavors did he continue in his daily life?" "What is the attractive personality of this philosopher?" "Why could he make such a political struggle against his enemies powerfully?" "How did he conquer his sorrowful heavy destiny (Destiny is a severe trial which is given by God)?" "Which intension did he embrace in his activity of philosophical writings in a lot of scientific fields?" These questions are leading me and inspiring my study about Cicero. Already I wrote 7 books concerning Cicero during 10 years (2000-2009). At the central position of Cicero in my philosophical study I burned my philosophical interests in Greek philosophers (Plato and Aristotle) and in modern philosophers (Nietzsche, Heidegger, Arendt, Loewith).
In order to apprehend Cicero's originality and speciality deeply we must take the other meaning of Seneca's originality and speciality. Seneca is a greatest philosopher in the Roman Imperial time. About this philosopher I wrote already 2 books. In Japan I cannot find anyone who wrote about Cicero and Seneca. My unchangeable attitude toward a scientific and philosophical thinking is on two sides investigations (Greek spirit and Roman spirit, Plato and Aristotle, Descartes and Pascal, Voltaire and Rousseau, Kant and Hegel, Marx and Burckhardt, Husserl and Heidegger, Religion and Philosophy, Catholicism and Protestantism, German Spirit and French Spirit, Japanese Way of Thinking and European Way of Thinking, moreover Politics and Low, Political speech and Law-count speech). These themes are shown in my many books concerning the History of Ideas (Geistesgeschichte) concretely and fully.
About Seneca I want to make moreover a small mention. Seneca was a philosopher and the greatest tragedian. And his life was in itself a tragedy. Seneca had no chance, no opportunity to express his own political opinion and he was unhappy, very unhappy, because he could have no activity to have a confident attack, a drastic struggle against his political enemies in his life.
The unity or close relationship between Theoria and Praxis had no realization, Seneca's political environment prevented such a realization. Surely Seneca took a consulship near Emperor Nero, but this position only nominal, it possessed no power of politics.
In comparison to Seneca, Cicero was happy, of course in a tragic meaning. His accomplishment rather his excellent perfection of the unity of Theoria (philosophy) and Praxis (politics) was owning to the clear fact, that these were strong and severe political enemies (rivals) near Cicero. Cicero's spiritual highness and earnest study-life had a tight relationship to his political decision and activity. Cicero' s earnest life way, his unbroken diligence must have had a difficult actual struggle, political battle. Ciceronian wide mental world, his philosophical depth was given an unexpected companionship through his political struggle. Cicero's mental width and philosophical keenness was in a sense or rather in a true sense a present from the being and attacks of Cicero's political enemies. Caesar, Clodius, Pompeius, and Marx Antonius, these four politicians (not statement in a better meaning, behind them there were Roman armies) were standing always in the way of Cicero with nasty and wicked plans. And these dangerous politicians continued to make threat through violence. Ciceronian Theoria-ability and eloquence-power gave him the strong confidence against his enemies attacks. And Cicero's speeches toward these enemies (his attack-speech) showed and completed rhetorical and eloquent spirituality. His scholarships, his flower-garten of language-world become without exhaustion a splendid source of his attacks against his enemies.
And the stubborn continuity of political attacks and plots from his enemies burned Cicero's working continuity of theoretical investigations specially philosophical studies.
In the latest time Cicero suffered a fateful blow which coursed him profounder sorrow than any other misfortune of his daughter's death. However overwhelmed Cicero was with grief, he succeeded philosophical studies about Nature, Gods, Knowledge, Moral Citizens Ethics and Low. Ciceronian tasteful personality created European humanism in a true figure. Less
|
