was a Japanese philosopher who studied

Chinese philosophy Chinese philosophy (Simplified Chinese characters, simplified Chinese: 中国哲学; Traditional Chinese characters, traditional Chinese: 中國哲學) refers to the philosophical traditions that originated and developed within the historical ...

Life

Imamichi taught in Europe (Paris and Germany) as well as in Japan (he was also emeritus professor of the

University of Palermo The University of Palermo () is a public university, public research university in Palermo, Italy. It was founded in 1806, and is currently organized in 12 Faculties. History The University of Palermo was officially founded in 1806, although it ...

). Beginning in 1979 he was the president of the '' Centre International pour l'Étude Comparée de Philosophie et d'Esthétique'' and after 1997 of the International Institute of Philosophy. In 1976 he founded the journal ''Aesthetics''. He translated

Aristotle Aristotle (; 384–322 BC) was an Ancient Greek philosophy, Ancient Greek philosopher and polymath. His writings cover a broad range of subjects spanning the natural sciences, philosophy, linguistics, economics, politics, psychology, a ...

's '' Poetics'' into Japanese (in 1972) and has written numerous books in Japanese. Imamichi was a supporter of communication between cultures. He characterizes

Western philosophy Western philosophy refers to the Philosophy, philosophical thought, traditions and works of the Western world. Historically, the term refers to the philosophical thinking of Western culture, beginning with the ancient Greek philosophy of the Pre ...

as an attempt to achieve a God's eye view (''das in-dem-Gott-sein''; to be in the being of God) and

Eastern philosophy Eastern philosophy (also called Asian philosophy or Oriental philosophy) includes the various philosophies that originated in East and South Asia, including Chinese philosophy, Japanese philosophy, Korean philosophy, and Vietnamese philoso ...

as an attempt to be in the world (''das in-der-Welt-sein''). Imamichi sees in both stances two incomplete and complementary

humanism Humanism is a philosophy, philosophical stance that emphasizes the individual and social potential, and Agency (philosophy), agency of human beings, whom it considers the starting point for serious moral and philosophical inquiry. The me ...

s, and observes that since the publication of '' The Book of Tea'', some Western philosophers have adopted a more Eastern stance while other Eastern philosophers have attempted to reach the Absolute or the Eternal. Tomonobu Imamichi was the father of guitarist and songwriter Tomotaka Imamichi, pianist Nobuko Kawaguchi, biologist Yukiko Imamichi and psychologist Tomoaki Imamichi.

Bibliography

* ''In Search of Wisdom. One Philosopher's Journey'', Tokyo, International House of Japan, 2004 * 'Restrospectiva et Prospectiva Eco-ethics' in ''Acta Institutionis Philosophiae et Aestheticae'', 2004, 22:1-10 (an article written in English, Latin, German, French, Chinese, etc.) *''Betrachtungen über das Eine'', Institute of Aesthetics of Tokyo, 1968 *''Aspects of Beautiful and Art'', 1968 *''Self-Development of the Identity'', 1970 *''The Localisation and the orientation of Interpretation'', 1972 *''Essay on Beauty'', 1973 *''Studia Comparata de Esthetica'', 1976 *''Aristotle'', 1980 *''Aesthetics in the Orient'', 1980 *''Philosophy in the East and in the West'', 1981 *''Contemporary Philosophy'', 1984 *''The History of the Western Philosophy'', 1986 *''Eco-Ethica'', 1990 *''Le texte comme distance de la Divinité'', in ''Archivio di filosofia'' anno LX, 1992, 1–3 *''Introduzione alla Filosofia Naturale'', 1993.

References

External links

Quick biography of Tomonobu Imamichi

The Japanese Eco-Ethics, interview
{{DEFAULTSORT:Imamichi, Tomonubu 1922 births 2012 deaths Philosophers of art People from Tokyo Academic staff of the University of Palermo 20th-century Japanese philosophers 21st-century Japanese philosophers Recipients of the Medal with Purple Ribbon Japanese expatriates in Italy Japanese expatriates in France Japanese expatriates in Germany