Creating New Values to Solve Modern Problems by Reading the Vast Literature on Medieval Theories of the Passions

My research focuses on themes that span ethics and philosophy from the late Middle Ages to the early modern period. My starting point is not to view the Middle Ages from a modern perspective, but to re-examine it from the perspective of the people of that time. For example, medieval philosophy has long been discussed within the framework of nominalism, realism, and conceptualism, but is that really the case? This is the perspective from which I wrote "The Problem of Universals: As a Source of Modernity." By carefully re-reading the debates from the perspective of medieval people, I discovered that this framework was actually a falsehood created in the 19th century. Even with traditional views, we can still make new discoveries by re-examining them from the standpoint of the people of that era. I have been reinterpreting these ideas in this way for nearly 20 years.

People often say that medieval philosophy seems outdated. I wrote "The Semiotics of Angels" with the contemporary significance of medieval studies in mind. I draw a parallel between angels, who have no bodies and communicate mind-to-mind, and modern youth, who communicate without physicality through cell phones and the internet. I also compare angels, who are pure yet also possess a violent nature, with young people, who seem quiet but are quick to snap. By discussing medieval angels and modern youth in this way, I aimed to address contemporary problems and highlight their unique characteristics.

Currently, I am working on the problem of the passions. The passions can sometimes lead people to error, and how to overcome them has been a challenge for ethics since ancient times. However, recent research in neurophysiology views the passions as one of our adaptive systems. Since judgments based on intellect and reason take time and are difficult to apply in real time, the passions are what allow us to respond appropriately. Taking this into account, I believe it is necessary to reconsider the passions in ethics. The basis of my research is the vast body of medieval literature. These texts have been digitized by libraries in France, the United Kingdom, and the United States, and are available as PDFs. I am starting by deciphering them.

In April 2009, the Japan Society for Medieval European Studies was established. It is an academic society that brings together people from different fields such as history, literature, philosophy, and music to develop medieval studies in an interdisciplinary manner. The theory of the passions will likely be a major topic there as well. The study of the passions may lead to the creation of new concepts of value, stimulating people's purchasing impulses and contributing to economic activity. Through my research in ethics, I hope to offer a potential answer to the problems of modern people's behavior, views on life, and society. This is the mindset with which I approach my research.