Akira Nagano: Teaching Political Philosophy

I specialize in the academic field of "political philosophy" and teach a course by that name every year. However, what and how should one teach to say they have taught political philosophy? Of course, it is possible to provide a general explanation of the fundamental problems frequently addressed in this field and the theories of representative political philosophers. Yet, upon gaining such knowledge, many students likely feel that they "don't see the point of such abstract questions."

Taking specific historical backgrounds into account certainly deepens understanding. This is because seemingly abstract questions can be seen as traces of the struggles of people who attempted to solve specific problems in some way. In fact, in my introductory lectures on political thought for beginners, I interpret past political ideas in such a style. However, in that case, the questions asked there become purely historical questions for a specific thinker; the more we understand them, the more they may end up distancing themselves from us.

Should we then abstract from history and find the role of political philosophy in constructing theories using rigorous concepts? Dominant political philosophy today has steered in this direction and achieved rich academic results. By becoming conscious of the methods one uses, one can expect meaningful debates that transcend a mere clash of worldviews. There is certainly a view that the significance of a political philosophy class lies in introducing the cutting-edge knowledge produced in such a way, using contemporary issues as a guide.

Personally, however, I cannot shake an ambivalent feeling regarding such specialization in political philosophy. This is likely because I cannot let go of a view of "philosophy" that existed before specialization occurred. Precisely because specialization is progressing in every area of political science today, I cannot help but feel that political philosophy, at least, should be something that overflows those boundaries. Especially when students feel some sense of unease in their regular study of political science, could it not be said that helping them verbalize that feeling as clearly as possible is an important role assigned to political philosophy?