"An Undecided Dimension of Depth: On the Question of the Place in the Thought of Kitaro Nishida"

Masatake Shinohara

-Tuesday, 31 October, 12pm CET (Germany),

Prof. Dr. Masatake Shinohara, Kyoto University: "An Undecided Dimension of Depth: On the Question of the Place in the Thought of Kitaro Nishida"

The GIP lecture of Masatake Shinohara on 31.10. will be hybrid - he will give a lecture in Tübingen in presence (Keplerstr. 2, room 003), but you can also join online (registration with N.Weidtmann: weidtmann(at)uni-tuebingen.de).

Abstract:

"In this talk, I will explore the concealed depths of human existence, dimensions that extend beyond our current comprehension and remain veiled. These dimensions are intricately linked to our very being, yet they elude our conscious understanding. I challenge the conventional belief that the foundation of human existence is stable and unchanging, positing instead that we confront a radical and ever-present uncertainty beneath our feet.

Drawing inspiration from the works of Japanese philosopher Kitaro Nishida (1870-1945), I delve into the concept of place as a profound and contradictory dimension. Nishida's philosophy portrays place not as something external to the self but as a determinant of one's mode of existence. Through this framework, I question the hidden dimensions that lie beneath the active self.

This hidden dimension is characterized by alterity, simultaneously embracing and transcending the self within it. It is intimately tied to the earthly surroundings of humans but remains distinct from human artifice. Beyond the boundaries of everyday life, it opens the door to a potential future where new forms of human coexistence may emerge, extending our horizons beyond the confines of our current experiences."

Bio:

Masatake Shinohara was born in 1975 in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. After graduating from the Faculty of Integrated Human Studies, Kyoto University, he went on studying at the Graduate School of Human and Environment Studies of the same university for a doctoral program. He currently serves as a specially appointed associate professor at Osaka School of International Public Policy, Osaka University. His publications include Kokyo Kukan no Seiji Riron [Political theory of public space] (Jimbun Shoin, 2007), Kukan no tame n i : Henzaika suru Suramuteki Shakai no Nakade [For spaces: In omnipresent slum-like world] (Ibunsha, 2011), Zen-Seikatsuron: Tenkeiki no Kokyo Kukan [All theories of living: public space in transformation] (Ibunsha, 2012), and Ikirareta Nyu Taun: Mirai Kukan no Tetsugaku [New town that would have survived: philosophy of future space] (Seidosha, 2015). In 2016, he participated in Venice biennale as a vice-curator of Japan pavilion. He contributed to formulate the main conception of “En”, and to become a mediator through which plural architects communicate and share the idea.

More info: http://www.int-gip.de/gip-lectures/gip-lectures-2023/