Sleepwalking and Dual Personality, the Genealogy of Thought on Self and Unconsciousness in Modern German Spiritualism

2019 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 17K02632
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: European literature
• Research Institution: Kindai University
• Principal Investigator: KUMAGAI TETSUYA 近畿大学, 経営学部, 准教授 (20567797)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-04-01 – 2020-03-31
• Keywords: 心霊主義 / 文学 / ドイツ / 世紀転換期

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, spiritualists believed in the existence of ghosts and the reality of psychic phenomena and explored the possible development of human mental activity after death. This study examines how spiritualists considered the human soul and spirit, focusing on the phenomena of sleepwalking and dual personalities.
In particular, I have attempted to elucidate Carl du Prel, the philosopher who was the representative of the spiritism boom in Germany, through his many writings in magazines and books, as well as his letters to and from his friends. Furthermore, I was able to show that Du Prel's thought influenced Japanese philosophy during the Meiji period, and that spiritualism continues to be an influential motif in contemporary German literature.

Free Research Field

ドイツ文学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究では、日本国内ではあまり研究が進んでいなかった、ミュンヘンの心霊主義サークルを代表した哲学者デュ・プレルと催眠研究者シュレンク＝ノッツィングを中心に、同時代の作家や知識人との関係を明らかにし、さらに明治期日本で活躍したドイツ語教師ケーベルとの関係についても一次資料から浮かび上がらせることに成功した。とりわけケーベルと心霊主義の関わりについては、日本はもとよりドイツにおいてもこれまで論じられていない。世紀転換期ドイツ文化と心霊主義、そして明治期日本における需要という新たなテーマへ足を踏み入れる際に、本研究は大きな手がかりとなることだろう。