Abstract
Today it would appear that Japanese sociology has lost its theoretical basis. Especially after the collapse of the Parsonian structural-functional approach, numerous so-called “revolutionary new theories” have been raised one after another. However, all of these, without exception, have not been satisfactory. To break free from such a vicious circle, we have to reexamine the works of our past masters.
TONGO TAKEBE (1871-1945) was one of the earliest Japanese sociologists whose works had not been appropriately recognized for the last half century. Takebe came into contact with the works of Herbert Spencer and Auguste Comte, and made the utmost effort to establish a sociological methodology that integrates the West European social evolutionism and the traditional Confucianism of East Asia.
Takebe' s early works which integrate Spencerian social evolutionism and Lu Hsiangshan (Tzu-ching, Ts'un-chai) 's Confucian socio-historical thought are highly sophisticated. He analyses the major characteristics of both with clarity by adopting a rigid pluralistic logic. According to him, Spencer in fact succeeded in establishing a theory that is based on sufficient evidence, but failed to answer the ultimate question of “how to live.” In contrast, Lu has effectively taught a method of good-living, but failed to induce general principles from sufficient evidences. Takebe organizes his system of sociology as it takes and develops the merits of both and teaches us how to live well in a constantly changing environment.
