The Philosophy Book

244

IN CONTEXT

BRANCH

Ethics

APPROACH

Phenomenology

BEFORE

5th century BCE Socrates

claims that he is wise because

he knows he is ignorant.

4th century St. Augustine

of Hippo writes Confessions,

which is both an autobiography

and a work of philosophy.

Early 13th century Buddhist

monk Shinran claims that

salvation is only possible

through “other power.”

1920s Martin Heidegger

writes that philosophy is a

matter of our relationship

with our own being.

AFTER

1990s Jacques Derrida,

influenced by phenomenology,

explores themes such as

confession and forgiveness.

B

efore you read on, confess!

This may seem like a

strange idea, but it is one

that Japanese philosopher Tanabe

Hajime wants us to take seriously.

If we want to philosophize, Tanabe

believes, we cannot do so without

making a confession. But what is it

that we should confess, and why?

To answer these questions, we

need to look at the roots of Tanabe’s

philosophy in both the European

and the Japanese traditions of

philosophy. In terms of its European

roots, Tanabe traces his thought

back to the Greek philosopher

Socrates who lived in the 5th

century BCE. Socrates is important

asking

deeperquestions about life.

TO PHILOSOPHIZE,

FIRST ONE MUST

CONFESS

HAJIME TANABE (1885–1962)

...we do not know

the answers.

...our powers of

reason are limited.

To do this,

we need to

admit that...

In order

to philosophize,

first one must

confess.