indexCurriculum Vitae
Shinagawae Tetsuhikonis
Born 1957 in Kawasaki, Japan
Kawasaki city is located between Tokyo and Yokohama. In comparison with these two cities, Kawasaki is not so characteristic, although it has a population of 1,000,000. It is indeed a large city, but only famous for its industry. I was born in the north of Kawasaki. I had lived there till entrance into Kyoto university.
Apr. 1977- Mar. 1981 Studied philosophy at Kyoto University （March, 1981: B.A.）
Kyoto is one of the oldest cities in Japan. The city is full of temples and very beautiful in each season. I am glad that I could live there and study in Kyoto University.
I was admitted to faculty of letters and selected department of philosophy. The problem of intersubjectivity attracted me. The theme of my graduation thesis was "Alter ego on Husserl".
Apr. 1982- Mar. 1987 Studied philosophy at Graduate School, Kyoto University （March, 1984: M.A）
I got a master's degree by the thesis "Husserl's egology".
In 1980s bioethics was introduced vehemently into Japan. We, beginners of philosophical and ethical research, learned especially the bioethics in USA. I also found it interesting. However I was rather attracted by the radicalness of biomedical issues (ex. Who is dead? Who lives? etc.), than by giving an actual -- economical and political -- solution. Perhaps I was struck by the radicalness which might possibly threaten the foundation of current ethical teaching.
Oct. 1989- Mar. 1993 Lecturer at Wakayama Medical College
In 1989 I was selected to be a panelist for the symposium "Foundation of Norms" in the Japanese Society of Ethics. I made a presentation with the title "Norms functioning in the hidden manner", referring to Roman Ingarden, Bernhard Waldenfels etc. My standpoint consisted in the phenomenological research on formation of norms.
At Wakayama Medical College I lectured philosophy. I also participated in the setting of a new course Introduction of Medical Science. It was deliverd to the fresh students. Since then the reformation of curriculum has become one of my tasks as teaching stuff.
Wakayama is a prefecture in the south of Osaka. HANAOKA Seishu was born there. He succeeded in 1804 an operation of breast cancer under general anesthesia. But this exploit could not be delivered in the world, because then Japan shut an exchange with foreign countries except the Netherlands and China.
Apr. 1993- Mar. 1999 Assistant Professor at Faculty of Integrated Arts and Science, Hiroshima University
Since 1993 Hiroshima University began the sujbect on bioethics. I was much obliged to be the first person in charge of it.
Hiroshima is a beautiful city in spite of its disaster on Augst 6 1945. Five rivers flows thorough the city. The hills around it provide a bright scenery because of yellow or red leaves in autumn. I often visited Hiroshima Museum of Art. It has a good collection of impressionism.
My interest gradually moved from current bioethical or enviromnet ethical issues to rather metaethical one, for example, foundation of ethics, the hisotrical meaning of appearance of applied ethics etc.
In 1998 I was selected to be a panelist for the symposium "Nature as Environment" in the Kansai Philosophical Association. I made a presentation with the title "Nature, Environment and Human Being: Hans Jonas on the Imperative of Responsibility". Hereby I tried to analyze the foundation of Jonas' imperative of responsibility, making a contrast with critics from discourse ethics.
I had to participate in the reformation of curriculum in Hiroshima University again. But this lobor brought me some achievements. One of them was a book Technology and Environment which was coedited by three fellows with me.
Apr. 1999- Mar. 2000 Assistant Professor at Faculty of Letters, Kansai University
In 1999 I was invited to be a teaching staff of philosophy and ethics at Kansai University.
Kansai means the west district of Japan. This district had earlily evolved. The capital lied there from the 7th century to the 19th century. Osaka, Kyoto, Nara and Kobe are the main cities in this district. Now Osaka is the next large city after Tokyo. Kansai University stands in Suita, near by Osaka City. It was founded in 1886. It gave its name, because it was the first (law) courage in Osaka, e.g. the center of Kansai.
In 1999 I was selected to be a panelist for the symposium "The 20th Century: Question to Ethics" in the 50th conference of Japanese Society for Ethics. I presented a presentation with the title "Accountability of ethics: bioethics as a clue". Hereby I argued the significance of historical meaning of applied ethics and the reason and entitlement for moral philosophers to be involved in actual issues.
Apr. 2000- Professor at Faculty of Letters, Kansai University
In 2004 I was selected to be a panelist for the symposium "Is Human Being Special?" in the Kansai Philosophical Association. I made a presentation with the title "In what sense should mankind continue to be?", referring to Hans Jonas, Karl-Otto Apel and Jurgen Habermas.
In 2005 I presented a lecture about ethic of care in the symposium of the Japanese Association of Sociology of Law and I was selected to be a panelist for the symposium "Reality of Ethics" in the J56th conference of Japanese Society for Ethics.
In 2005 I was selected to be a panelist for the 56th symposium of Japanese Society for Ethics: the theme was "Reality of Ethics". I made a presentation with the title "Ethic, ethics, and what is ethical".
Oct. 2003- Sep. 2006 Presidential Aide at Kansai University
As presidential aide, I contributed to curriculum reformation of humanities, co-ordination between high schools and our university, Kansai University school internship (which has been adopted as "Good Practice" -- the sustained special programs of university education by the ministry of education, culture, sports, sciences and technology.) and establishment of the system of Kansai University research project units etc.
Mar. 2007 Ph. D. (conferred by Kyoto University)
On March 23. 2007 I was conferred Ph. D. (in Literature) by Kyoto University. The title of my doctoral dissertation is What borders justice: the principle of responsibility and the ethic of care. Hans Jonas' principle or imperative of responsibility and the ethics of care that Carol Gilligan founded are discussed there under the standpoint of contrasting with the ethics based on justice and rights. This work was published by the publisher Nakanishiya in Kyoto in 2007. See its contents.
Apr.2007-Mar.2008 Guest Researcher (Aufenthaltdozent）of the University Cologne
I work as guest researcher at the faculty of philosophy of the University Cologne in Germany under the Regulations of Kansai University's Overseas Research Program.
Oct. 2016- Director of Center for Community Collaboration and Director of Center of High School and University Partnership at Kansai University