西周のオランダ留學と西洋近代學術の移植 : 「近代東アジア文明圈」形成史 : 學術篇

Abstract

Nishi Amane 西周, was one of the first Japanese students sent to Europe by the shogunate government. In addition to the knowledge of the Western Learning, Nishi had solid foundation of the philosophy of Zhu Xi 朱熹 as well as that of Ogyu Sorai 荻生徂徠, the latter enabled him to view the former relatively. While in Holland, Nishi studied under Professor S. Vissering of Leiden University, who offered him lectures consisting of five subjects instrumental in building a new nation. Nishi also learned French and made a considerable progress in philosophy which he considered as the basis for every academic discipline. Nishi found that the Modern Western Learning was superior to the Oriental Learning, because it was based on the principle of the dignity and equality of all human beings. After returning home, Nishi translated and published the lectures of Professor Vissering. Yoshino Sakuzo 吉野作造 highly praised them as “the only light illuminating the world of darkness” for those who wanted to understand the way the Modern Western societies were constructed. In transplanting the Western Modern Learning, Nishi deliberately originated technical terms such as ʻenʼeki, (演繹 deduction) ʼ ʻkinou (歸納 induction), ʼ ʻtetsugaku (哲學philosophy), ʼ etc., after giving serious consideration to the accumulated knowledge of Han learning in Japan. Nishiʼs work paved the way for the formation of the “Cultural Sphere” in Modern East Asia.