It is well known that Tanabe Hajime (1885-1962) considered individuals’ praxis as a core concept of his philosophy. This paper aims to clarify the nature of individuals’ praxis especially in his philosophy of religion: “metanoetics” (1944-1953). For this purpose, we have to go back to the works before “metanoetics,” as Tanabe did not explain about praxis in detail during “metanoetics.” In other words, the definition of praxis is formed in a dialectic manner and we need to trace the definitions of praxis.
“Metanoetics” is a standpoint which emerged from critically reexamining of the “logic of species.” In the “logic of the species,” which sticks to being rational, individuals’ praxis is considered as obedience to the state, especially during 1939-1941. Anyhow, in “metanoetics” being rational was no longer a requirement for individuals’ praxis. In “metanoetics,” individuals recognize the operation of the Absolute which lies behind the historical world and saves them, and regard what exists in society as means of salvation by the Absolute. Therefore, individuals accept every incident as means of the Absolute to lead them to salvation, so that they can react freely to it. Such free reaction is regarded as individuals’ praxis in “metanoetics.”
