History of Phrenology in Modern Japanese Education

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K14063
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 09010:Education-related
• Research Institution: Hyogo University of Teacher Education
• Principal Investigator: HIRANO Ryo 兵庫教育大学, 学校教育研究科, 准教授 (40636429)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: Phrenology / 近代化 / 個人主義 / 骨相学 / 高橋邦三 / 長岡 / 養生／衛生 / 自分探し

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This study discusses the reception and development of phrenology in modern Japan from the viewpoint of the history of education. First, from a macro perspective, I organized a number of translations of the word “phrenology.” I found that there were original texts of phrenology from the end of the Edo through the middle of the Meiji periods by checking the catalogues of books formerly owned by the Bakufu and in the Imperial Library. Phrenology was covered in a wide range of scientific and cultural areas, including medicine, psychology, literature, art, criminology, and education in the Meiji and Taisho periods. Second, from a micro perspective, I take as a case study the Japanese phreonologist Kunizo Takahashi, who was the son of a samurai in Nagaoka Domain, including his life and development of his thought. In particular, I examine how he attempted to apply phrenology to the field of education as a scientific tool for physical and mental health care/hygiene and self-discovery.

Free Research Field

教育史学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究は，近代日本における骨相学について教育史の立場から検討した，日本で初めての本格的試みである。報告者は以前に，教育に関わる人間観について西洋における骨相学を素材に歴史的に分析し，「能力人間学」という語を導入してその教育史的意義を考察したが，本研究はその近代日本における検討の端緒ともなる。近年も進展している骨相学の各国・各地域史研究の，「日本」という空白を埋める成果であるとともに，「能力」概念や「測定」行為にますます依存を強めているように思われる現代の教育を省察していく契機となる，好個の歴史的素材を提供する成果になっていると考える。