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<p>Shigeki Nishimura (1828–1902) is a Japanese moral philosopher and activist during the late Edo and early Meiji periods. He has been portrayed in previous academic literature and current high-school textbooks authorised by the Japanese government as a key figure in promoting the Confucian approach to moral education in the Meiji era. Although recent research has begun to interpret him as more than just a proponent of feudalism, his moral philosophy remains underexplored. This paper examines two of his major works, <i>Japanese Moral Theory</i> (1887) and <i>Lectures on Virtue Theories</i> (1895–1901), to investigate the core elements of his moral philosophy. By analysing passages in these and other texts that have been largely overlooked in previous studies, six central features of his moral philosophy are identified: (1) theory for practice, (2) respect for traditional opinions, (3) respect for empirical evidence, (4) emphasis on enterprising virtues, (5) universality of moral theory, and (6) interest in individual virtues. This analysis suggests that Nishimura’s moral theory is less feudalistic than traditionally assumed but reflects empirical and liberal dimensions.</p>

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Shigeki Nishimura and His Moral Philosophy in Late 19th Century Imperial Japan

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2025年4月8日

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  • Koji Tachibana

摘要

Shigeki Nishimura (1828–1902) is a Japanese moral philosopher and activist during the late Edo and early Meiji periods. He has been portrayed in previous academic literature and current high-school textbooks authorised by the Japanese government as a key figure in promoting the Confucian approach to moral education in the Meiji era. Although recent research has begun to interpret him as more than just a proponent of feudalism, his moral philosophy remains underexplored. This paper examines two of his major works, Japanese Moral Theory (1887) and Lectures on Virtue Theories (1895–1901), to investigate the core elements of his moral philosophy. By analysing passages in these and other texts that have been largely overlooked in previous studies, six central features of his moral philosophy are identified: (1) theory for practice, (2) respect for traditional opinions, (3) respect for empirical evidence, (4) emphasis on enterprising virtues, (5) universality of moral theory, and (6) interest in individual virtues. This analysis suggests that Nishimura’s moral theory is less feudalistic than traditionally assumed but reflects empirical and liberal dimensions.