2025 (Current Year) Faculty Courses Liberal arts and basic science courses Humanities and social science courses
Essence of Humanities and Social Sciences61:Philosophy of Death
- Academic unit or major
- Humanities and social science courses
- Instructor(s)
- Tomoaki Yamada
- Class Format
- Lecture (Face-to-face)
- Media-enhanced courses
- -
- Day of week/Period
(Classrooms) - 5-6 Wed (M-B07(H101))
- Class
- -
- Course Code
- LAH.S513
- Number of credits
- 100
- Course offered
- 2025
- Offered quarter
- 3Q
- Syllabus updated
- Aug 6, 2025
- Language
- Japanese
Syllabus
Course overview and goals
This lecture provides a comprehensive overview of the links between human life and thought in the face of death and philosophical and ethical questions. The aim of this lecture is to deepen students' understanding of the link between human life and thought in the face of death and philosophical and ethical questions. Students will acquire knowledge of related fields and learn to explain these questions in their own words. This lecture provides an overview of the philosophical questions surrounding death in contemporary thanatology. Topics covered include religious reflections on life and death, literary works, philosophical attitudes in the face of death, and philosophy and ethics concerning the dead. The lecture also explores the intersection of these topics with the ethics of technology.
Course description and aims
(1) Understanding what thanatology is, understand the cultural and historical background of thanatology education, and be able to explain its connection to philosophical and ethical questions. (2) Understand various thoughts and philosophers' ideas about death and modern views on life and death, and be able to explain the characteristics of each and their relationship to views on life and death. (3) Understand how the dead become philosophical and ethical questions, and be able to explain what the central issues are.
Keywords
Philosophy of death, ethics of the dead, thanatology
Competencies
- Specialist skills
- Intercultural skills
- Communication skills
- Critical thinking skills
- Practical and/or problem-solving skills
Class flow
Assignments, lectures using slides, copies handouts
Course schedule/Objectives
| Course schedule | Objectives | |
|---|---|---|
| Class 1 | Thanatology and Philosophy |
Be able to explain the overview and history of thanatology and its relationship to philosophy. |
| Class 2 | Religious Reflections in the face of death: Kishimoto Hideo |
Be able to explain Hideo Kishimoto's ‘death as separation’. |
| Class 3 | Literary Reflections on Death: Jorge Semprun |
Be able to explain Semplun's ‘experience of life’. |
| Class 4 | Philosophy in the face of death: Martin Heidegger |
Be able to explain Heidegger's concept of ‘anticipation of death’. |
| Class 5 | Philosophy in the face of the death of a Loved One: Paul Ricoeur |
Be able to explain Ricoeur’s ‘Living up to death’. |
| Class 6 | Philosophy of death and discourse on death after the Great East Japan Earthquake : Tanabe Hajime |
Be able to explain the impact of Tanabe's reading on the discourse on death after the Great East Japan Earthquake. |
| Class 7 | Ethics of the dead Summary of previous lessons |
Be able to explain the ethical issues surrounding AI as it relates to the deceased. |
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)
Reading materials will be distributed as needed during the course.
Reference books, course materials, etc.
Hideo Kishimoto, Shi wo mitsumeru Kokoro, Kōdansha bunko, 1973. Alfons Deeken, Shi to Dōmukiauka, NHK, 1996.
Evaluation methods and criteria
Class attendance is the prerequisite for assessment. Assignments (60%) and term report (40%).
Related courses
- none
Prerequisites
none required
Other
Depending on the number of students and their level of understanding, the syllabus can be modified.