純粋経験の形而上学と主観主義―西田の自己考察を手掛かりとして―

Abstract

Nishida's philosophy may be seen as the first serious attempt to rethink the fundamentals of Eastern thought making use of a framework of language and concepts developed by Western philosophers. Nishida's endeavor begins with the concept of "pure experience", as introduced and developed in Zen no kenkyu (An Inquiry into the Good). This "pure experience", based on contemporary Western psychology and epistemology, can be thought of as a tool by which Nishida attempted to interpret his own personal experience in Zen practice. In the context of Zen no kenkyu this becomes the foundation of a metaphysical view constructed in a highly systematic manner. However, in the later development of his philosophy, Nishida embarks on a different path to achieve his goal, partially recanting the notion of "pure experience", for, as Nishida says, "on that basis subjectivism can not be avoided." In my paper, I attempt to understand whether and at what point in the metaphysical construction of Zen no kenkyu Nishida falls into subjectivism as one can argue from his self criticism. Toward that end I will focus my analysis on Nishida's fundamental concept of "unifying force" as it relates to the subject-object opposition and the problem of the natural world.