2025 (Current Year) Faculty Courses Liberal arts and basic science courses Humanities and social science courses
Special Lecture: Intellectual History in Japan
- Academic unit or major
- Humanities and social science courses
- Instructor(s)
- Kenji Hatanaka
- Class Format
- Lecture (Face-to-face)
- Media-enhanced courses
- -
- Day of week/Period
(Classrooms) - 7-8 Tue / 7-8 Fri
- Class
- -
- Course Code
- LAH.H307
- Number of credits
- 200
- Course offered
- 2025
- Offered quarter
- 1Q
- Syllabus updated
- Mar 19, 2025
- Language
- Japanese
Syllabus
Course overview and goals
In this lecture, we construe the intellectual history in Japan with reference to a certain theme. 2023's theme is the evil and its signs.
Through interpretation, examination and criticism of discourses on the evil in Japan, students will be able to understand the various concepts the evil in history.
Course description and aims
At the end of this course, students will be able to:
1) Understand the features and historical backgrounds of the various ideas of the evil in Japan.
2) Obtain basic skills required in the human sciences such as reading, reviewing, critical exchange and constructing an academic statement.
Keywords
Japan, ethical thought, religion
Competencies
- Specialist skills
- Intercultural skills
- Communication skills
- Critical thinking skills
- Practical and/or problem-solving skills
Class flow
Lectures with slides and video. Group discussion.
Course schedule/Objectives
| Course schedule | Objectives | |
|---|---|---|
| Class 1 | Introduction: Invitation to the evil | |
| Class 2 | Discussion 1: the evil and the nature | Theme: Are natural disasters regarded as divine punishment? |
| Class 3 | Overview on the ancient and medieval thought in Japan | |
| Class 4 | 1. "Akuto" | Konjaku Monogatari-shu, Heike Monogatari |
| Class 5 | 2. evil person and salvation | Tannisho, 13th century. |
| Class 6 | Peer-review activity and discussion | Edit own paper 1 based on the peer-review. |
| Class 7 | Overview on the thought in Tokugawa era | |
| Class 8 | 1. The case of Ako (1701-1702) | Chushingura or Forty-seven Ronin, 1748. |
| Class 9 | 2. The concept of the evil in Kokugaku | Motoori Norinaga, Kojiki-den, 1798. |
| Class 10 | Discussion 2: the evil and "seken" | Theme: Should the family of an evil person atone for his/her sin? |
| Class 11 | Overview of the modern thought in Japan | |
| Class 12 | 1. Watsuji Tetsuro and his "community" | Watuji Tetsuro, Ethics, 1937-1949. |
| Class 13 | 2. Maruyama Masao and Hannah Arendt | Maruyama Masao, Thought and Behavior in Modern Japanese Politics, 1956-1957. Hannah Arendt, Eichmann in Jerusalem, 1963. |
| Class 14 | Discussion 3: the evil and the public | Theme: Is it evil to spoil the harmony among the members? |
Study advice (preparation and review)
To enhance effective learning, students are encouraged to spend approximately 100 minutes preparing for class and another 100 minutes reviewing class content afterwards (including assignments) for each class.
They should do so by referring to textbooks and other course material.
Textbook(s)
Handout lecture materials
Reference books, course materials, etc.
Course materials are provided during class.
Evaluation methods and criteria
Students will be assessed on their commitment to the discussion (by response cards) (20%), paper 1 (30%), and paper 2 (50%). Details will be explained in the first class.
Related courses
- SHS.U442 ： Graduate Lecture in Culture and Arts S1B
Prerequisites
Nothing required
Contact information (e-mail and phone) Notice : Please replace from ”[at]” to ”@”(half-width character).
hatter[at]ila.titech.ac.jp
Office hours
As needed
Other
Should the number of applicants for this course exceed the limit, a lottery system will be used to determine which students are admitted. Be sure to attend the first class.
This syllabus is subject to change based on the needs of the class.