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The Oxford Handbook of Japanese Philosophy
Japanese philosophy is now a flourishing field with thriving societies, journals, and conferences dedicated to it around the world, made possible by an ever-increasing library of translations, books, and articles. The Oxford Handbook of Japanese Philosophy is a foundation-laying reference work that covers, in detail and depth, the entire span of this philosophical tradition, from ancient times to the present. It introduces and examines the most important topics, figures, schools, and texts from the history of philosophical thinking in premodern and modern Japan. Each chapter, written by a leading scholar in the field, clearly elucidates and critically engages with its topic in a manner that demonstrates its contemporary philosophical relevance.
The Handbook opens with an extensive introductory chapter that addresses the multifaceted question, "What is Japanese Philosophy?" The first fourteen chapters cover the premodern history of Japanese philosophy, with sections dedicated to Shinto and the Synthetic Nature of Japanese Philosophical Thought, Philosophies of Japanese Buddhism, and Philosophies of Japanese Confucianism and Bushido. Next, seventeen chapters are devoted to Modern Japanese Philosophies. After a chapter on the initial encounter with and appropriation of Western philosophy in the late nineteenth-century, this large section is divided into one subsection on the most well-known group of twentieth-century Japanese philosophers, The Kyoto School, and a second subsection on the no less significant array of Other Modern Japanese Philosophies. Rounding out the volume is a section on Pervasive Topics in Japanese Philosophical Thought, which covers areas such as philosophy of language, philosophy of nature, ethics, and
aesthetics, spanning a range of schools and time periods. This volume will be an invaluable resource specifically to students and scholars of Japanese philosophy, as well as more generally to those interested in Asian and comparative philosophy and East Asian studies.
The Handbook opens with an extensive introductory chapter that addresses the multifaceted question, "What is Japanese Philosophy?" The first fourteen chapters cover the premodern history of Japanese philosophy, with sections dedicated to Shinto and the Synthetic Nature of Japanese Philosophical Thought, Philosophies of Japanese Buddhism, and Philosophies of Japanese Confucianism and Bushido. Next, seventeen chapters are devoted to Modern Japanese Philosophies. After a chapter on the initial encounter with and appropriation of Western philosophy in the late nineteenth-century, this large section is divided into one subsection on the most well-known group of twentieth-century Japanese philosophers, The Kyoto School, and a second subsection on the no less significant array of Other Modern Japanese Philosophies. Rounding out the volume is a section on Pervasive Topics in Japanese Philosophical Thought, which covers areas such as philosophy of language, philosophy of nature, ethics, and
aesthetics, spanning a range of schools and time periods. This volume will be an invaluable resource specifically to students and scholars of Japanese philosophy, as well as more generally to those interested in Asian and comparative philosophy and East Asian studies.
840 pages, Hardcover
Published September 16, 2019
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About the author
Bret W. Davis
9 books5 followersBret W. Davis is Professor of Philosophy at Loyola University Maryland. He is author of Heidegger and the Will and editor (with Brian Schroeder and Jason Wirth) of Japanese and Continental Philosophy (IUP, 2010).
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
November 8, 2022
840 pages of non-fiction never felt this light. this 'handbook' gives you a straightforward overview of Japanese philosophy without falling into the trap of oversimplification; on the contrary, it is rich in thought-provoking hints. each chapter is a gem, and the structure as well as the selection of topics are near to perfect for me.
January 20, 2021
Important book in the field of Japanese philosophy which covers the essential points from shinto through different forms of Buddhist thought during Japans history. On top of that, the book does not neglect modern issues nor criticism, with essays about feminism, the nature and the problem of cultural identity of Japanese philosophy. As such, the book gives a superb overview of Japanese philosophy, with great a index and extensive mention of source material should one wish to delve deeper into one or other topic.
November 7, 2025
I wavered between giving this a 4 or a 5 stars. Ultimately, the reason I docked a star was because, despite the Introduction talking about how philosophical elements could be found in ancient Japan and Shinto, only two chapters were really devoted to it, and while it argued for pre-Meiji philosophy, a good half of the book was devoted to post-Meiji. I also wish some of the concepts had been explained better, but maybe I am just not big-brained enough.
But it was still an interesting read, and we definitely can't just limit ourselves to "western" philosophy. If you are interested in philosophy, I recommend this. And, even if you aren't, but are interested in Japan, I recommend it.
But it was still an interesting read, and we definitely can't just limit ourselves to "western" philosophy. If you are interested in philosophy, I recommend this. And, even if you aren't, but are interested in Japan, I recommend it.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews