「創造的世界の創造的要素」としての「人間的存在」

西田幾多郎の歴史論をめぐって

抄録

Nishida Kitaro expresses his understanding of the integration between human beings and the world by the notion “the creative element of the creative world.” It is certain that he worked out his philosophical system in considering the close and immediate connection between the individual and the world. However, it is not always so easy to find out the specific connection between our ordinary actions in daily life and creations of the world. Scholars have so far mentioned that Nishida had shifted the emphasis of his thinking to the theme of history after his representative treatise “I - thou;” but, they have seldom grasped squarely the meaning of Nishida’s peculiar theory about history. So, we can say that it is necessary to investigate the left problem of unclear connection between them by reexamining Nishida Kitaro’s own theory about history. In this paper, to substantiate this view, I attempt to grasp the consistent theme and logic of history in Nishida’s thought through an examination of his representative writings dating around 1930s in first and second sections. In the third and final sections, I will examine the reason why Nishida depicted human beings as “the creative element of the creative world.” And finally, from this study, I will elucidate Nishida’s view on death and life.