Japanese Philosophies of Education - Watsuji Tetsuro and Mori Akira

Grounded in Japanese philosophy and ideas of non-duality and emptiness, this is a much-welcomed contribution to central issues in philosophy of education. Anton Sevilla-Liu uses the thought of ethicist Watsuji Tetsuro (1889-1960) and philosopher of education Mori Akira (1915-1976) to address the dangers of self-centeredness and conformism in a competitive education system. When individual performance is encouraged, is there a way to stress relationality without losing the sense of individuality and uniqueness? We are introduced to Tetsuro and Akira''s enlightening views of education, deeply rooted in spiritual insights that originate in Buddhism and Confucianism. By applying their theories to educational practices, Sevilla-Liu shows how to connect students'' creative potential with a dynamic sense of community. Importantly, alongside this active philosophy, he introduces Tetsuro and Akira''s central concept of letting go of our self-centeredness and our roles. We see how the philosophy of emptiness can positively impact educational practices. This engaging book outlines a vision of education that balances individual creativity with a sense of community, responding to real challenges in educational systems around the world. It is the ideal starting point for educators and students interested in Japanese ideas about learning and unlearning, doing and letting-go, and the unique dynamicity of the philosophy of emptiness.

About the author

Anton Sevilla-Liu is Associate Professor for Clinical Pedagogy at Kyushu University, Japan. He is author of Watsuji Tetsurô's Global Ethics of Emptiness (2017) and translator of Sueki Fumihiko's Religion and Ethics at Odds: A Buddhist Counter-Position (2016) and Nishihira Tadashi's The Philosophy of No-Mind (2024).

Product details

• Authors: Anton Sevilla-Liu
• Publisher: Bloomsbury Academic
• Languages: English
• Product format: Paperback / Softback
• Release: 19.02.2026
• EAN: 9781350572775
• ISBN: 978-1-350-57277-5
• No. of pages: 248
• Dimensions: 138 mm x 214 mm x 18 mm
• Series: Bloomsbury Introductions to World Philosophies
• Subjects: Humanities, art, music > Education > General, dictionaries; Non-fiction book > Philosophy, religion > Other world religions; Japan, Asia, Japanese, PHILOSOPHY / Eastern, EDUCATION / Philosophy, Theory & Social Aspects, Philosophy & theory of education, East Asia, Far East, Philosophy and theory of education, East Asian and Indian philosophy, Oriental & Indian philosophy