The Critique of Nishida Kitarō by Sōda Kiichirō: A Metaphysical Issue
Abstract
In 1927 Nishida Kitarô wrote a response to the critique of Sôda Kiichirô,
represents an unprecedented occasion to rebuild, in a suggestive way, his
"topological logic" – an expression to be discussed in this paper –, in particular
concerning the quirks of a certain kind of metaphysics. More positively, it helps
us to cast some light on his understanding of the history of German Philosophy
since Kant.
Taking this essay as a cornerstone, I would like to take the opportunity to
synthetize, in English, the core of my interpretation in this field, centred on the
distinction between ontology, mê-ontology, and logic, if not metaphysics, of
absolute nothingness. What is more, I will interrelate certain schemes in Nishida
and Merleau-Ponty, especially the idea of "making".
I focus here on the first two sections of the essay, as I attempt to untangle
the intricate conceptual relations between self-awakening and nothingness.
Firstly, I explore the significant shift from epistemology to psychology, casting a
new light on the relation of Nishida to metaphysics. Secondly, I reconsider his
idea of overcoming ontology, distinguishing what I call "a first sketch of topologization.