Abstract
Opinions concerning the essence of medical ethics, their significance and their educational methods differ fundamentally according to one's religious and philosophical orientation. Many questions of medical ethics have to do with the most difficult, eternal, and probably insoluble questions concerning what we know about the essence of human beings and the meaning of truth, love, values, happiness, etc. Problems which reappear in the course of history must be considered from many viewpoints. From the Meiji Restoration in the middle of the nineteenth century until the present, Japan has imported Western science, particularly medicine, at an extremely rapid rate, with the result that traditional methods of Oriental medicine have come to be looked down upon. Unfortunately, these cultural changes have caused a lot of turmoil in the area of medical ethics in Japan and this is due to overestimation of the value of European technology and natural sciences. As a result, it would not be too much to say that an indifference to ethical considerations and a related high degree of selfishness and greed are present in many sectors related to health care in Japan today. However, it is comforting to note that there is some movement for the improvement of this situation. Against this background, it is the purpose of this report to examine certain considerations related to these movements as follows: 1) the history of European medical ethics; 2) the history of European philosophy and religion; 3) the humanism of Nicholas of Cusa; 4) the educational thought of Maria Montessori.
