• Journal of Science and Technology Studies
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• v.1 no.1 s.1
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• pp.29-50
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• 2001

When 'rational' is understood to be 'complying with the principles of reason', we can discern two kinds of rationality---one is what may be called 'instrumentally rationality', which is involved in achieving an already fixed goal most effectively, and the other 'goal-directed' rationality, which we should have recourse to in finding out the desirable goals. The critical situations in the age of science is thought to be closely related with the fact that the 'goal-directed' rationality has been discarded as nonsensical. The goal-directed rationality was dealt a severe blow in the latter part of the last century, when the rationality of science was challenged by the scientific relativists. This paper investigates the possibility of making sense of the goal-directed rationality in the modern age of science.

• The Journal of Korean Philosophical History
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• no.41
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• pp.247-270
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• 2014

Multiculturalism may be deeply connected with the diversities of cultures and enlightenment discussed in the context that we live together with the specification of cultures derived from any spatial conditions overtly and covertly. People live on their own customs compatible with their space and the time, and they make their boundaries of races, nations, and national memories. In such a way each of them treats each other exclusively and is inclined not to recognize being of the others. Also people are apt to recognize the others unessentially and overlook the others's value and way of life. As a result they might destroy the foundation of symbiotic livings conditions on their own. On the other hand they pretend to search for the cultural diversities of the others and include them under their own universalities, resulting in conflicts. Hence it is required that we should make an efforts to prepare the fields for living together through getting over the problem of the recognition of matters and affairs before us. From the above-told critical mind this thesis seeks the multicultural relativities and more arrives at the relationalities discussed by East-Asiatic philosophers of Chuang Tzu and Ch'oe Han-gi. Especially by gazing at the idea of the interconnectedness which means activities, changeabilities and mobilities, appeared on the idea of Ch'oe Han-Gi's revolving transformation, it is stressed that the communications of the local with each other in the various aspects of, e.g. materials, regions and cultures should be achieved.

• The Journal of Korean Philosophical History
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• no.59
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• pp.395-423
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• 2018

Since the middle of the 19th century, East Asia, especially Korea, was oppressed externally by the imperialism of Japan and others while internally long-lasting political convention like in-law government was driving the country into troubles at home and abroad. Witnessing such a situation and building up scholarly capability through reading over nearly all spheres, a Confucian philosopher, Ch'oe Han-gi (崔漢綺, 1803-1877), philosophized about the clue to the solution of such a choking phenomenon. Ch'oe believed that there was movement, ki (matter, material force, energy) of revolving transformation inherent in all things, people, or objects. Grasping even the principle and order of existence inherent in things from the viewpoint of ki, he tried to change the traditional theory on the law of existence of things that there existed an ontological reason lacking in motility, which was more dominant than anything existing in the universe and which ruled over the world. From this, he elucidated that the Way, an identity that rules over all affairs and things, was not simply one but diverse. This means, on one hand, that he tentatively accepted the relativity of things. On the other hand, he also taught us "oneness in all things" in which all including human beings exist in close connection to each other transcending the relativity or "agreement" in which they exist in harmony as one and "unity" in which they are united into one.

• Cross-Cultural Studies
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• v.46
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• pp.435-463
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• 2017

This paper aims to identify the structural characteristics of Okawa Syumei(大川周明), Wakamiya Unosuke(若宮卯之助) and Okakura Tensin(岡倉天心). In fact, after Okawa Syumei studied the Principles of Wakamiya Unosuke and Okakura Tensin, he derived a conclusion and wrote a book named "yeolseongjeon". This book talks about the emperor dynasty. Based on this, the theory presented by Wakamiya Unosuke and Okakura Tensin described the characteristics of the East European culture. Okakura Tensin crossed the western part and discovered that western culture is only western culture and not a universal culture. Western culture has developed from its own experience. Wakamiya Unosuke translated a book by William Knox, The spirt of the orient. They have the same point of view, but they have a different culture and they must follow their own culture. Okakura Tensin insisted that culture is dynamic and it improves by adapting different cultures of different countries. Wakamiya appealed and he opposed Tensin's studies about culture. Wakamiya's definition of culture has not changed or is fixed from the past, which still exists in the modern times. Culture must be cultivated and it must be introduced to people who have forgotten their own culture. Despite such methodological differences, the commonality between Okakura and Wakamiya is that Western civilization is nothing more than a regional culture, as the West is not a universal civilization, but as a whole, it is a regional culture. Okawa Syumei learned the Okakura and Wakamiya's theory about culture and derived a conclusion. He stated that both opinions are correct as culture can be adapted as explained by Okakura. For example, Japanese people are now adapting and embracing the culture of Chinese people and Indian people. On the other hand, he also learned Wakamiya Unosuke's theory that culture does not change. Japanese have their own culture that was created in the past or it was developed by their ancestors; for example, the emperor dynasty. Okawa Syumei learned different cultures of different countries and Japanese people are adapting those cultures, and Wakamiya stated that the emperor dynasty must be instilled and it must be universal. Japanese emperors have different cultures, especially the Meiji emperor who is willing to accept different cultures of different countries. Finally, he claimed that the emperor dynasty created a new Japanese civilization and they are now embracing the new adapted culture.

• The Journal of Art Theory & Practice
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• no.2
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• pp.75-120
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• 2004

Studies on western art in Korea has been caught in a dilemma that they could deal with only those things which had been arranged according to their 'historical generalization' in their contexts because of the bounds of time and space. It is not trivial that such conditions affect art studies in Korea. Access to the original texts and to their contexts of production is so restricted that the studies on them are prone to he superficial. And it is not independent on the politics of Korean art scene. Such factors are on the background of Korean art's excessive 'assimilation or accordance' with western art. The domestic studies on western art history and art theory have failed to notice the differences in context and Korean art has simply mediated or reproduced the restricted information by those studies. Also the studies on western art in Korea have been made use of as a justifying method of one's own academic domains. In such situations we should lead the studies on western art history and western art theory to a more reflective direction and confirm that the studies should not have any privileges of the realities. And we should try to reform a scholarship which participates in our life and existence. The field of domestic studies on western art history and western art theory should free itself from the invention of objectivity or the neutrality of mechanical reading and turn its eyes to the realities of life where events happens. Constantly suggesting which way Korean art and world art should go has to be the field's new coordinates.

• Journal of the Daesoon Academy of Sciences
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• v.39
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• pp.33-67
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• 2021

This paper aims at revealing the core concept of Injon (Human Nobility). The concept of Injon is one of the salient fundamental ideas which makes Daesoon Jinrihoe recognizable as Daesoon Jinrihoe. The concept of Injon has the basic meaning of 'human nobility,' but within the context wherein the nobility of humankind is considered to be greater than the nobility of Heaven and Earth. Although the religious and ideological interpretations of Injon (human nobility) that have developed over time have been quite diverse and abundant, these interpretations are all limited in that they generally assume the relationship between 'Heaven and Earth' and 'Humanity' to be antagonistic. However, if human nobility is relativized in that manner, it can reduce the potential broader meanings of mutual beneficence and the earthly paradise of the later world. These interpretations are grounded in the view of semiotic interpretation. Such interpretations have composed their view point via the semiotic meaning of the words. The semiotic point of view suggests that meanings of words consist in the relation of the word and the object to which it denotes. We will introduce a new view point which can be termed the transcendental view point. This view focuses on how the exact interpretation of words and sentences depends on the comprehension of the triad of systematic relations among the word, object, and speaker. In the Daesoon Thought, the Former World is considered to be the world wherein all creations unfolded according to the principle of mutual contention. This led to the accumulation of grievances and grudges which condensed and filled the Three Realms of Heaven, Earth, and Humanity. The Former World was dominated by Western material civilization, selfishness, and exclusivism. It was also a world where humans suffered from various natural disasters such as floods, droughts, plagues, and wildfires. The Former World lost the constant Dao and was overwhelmed with all kinds of disasters and calamities. That world fell into various kinds of wretchedness. The causes which made the Former World so cruel came from humans misunderstanding their relation to nature and life in general; including human life. The anthropocentric modern cosmology insisted that the human race was the only one to have the powers and rights to exercise dominion over nature. On the other hand, there is the Later World, which means the ideal and perfect, immanent eternal world for all humankind in Daesoon Thought. This world consists of life, peace, and equality and is also characterized by three typical attributes: goodness, peace, and all kinds of life. All living beings previously struggled for survival, but in the Later World, those lifeforms will embrace each other; even across different realms. In Daesoon Thought, the world and cosmos contain diverse forms of life, and human have both an earthly life and life in the after world should they die before the Later World. There are also the lives of divine beings and animals, and other such living entities. Daesoon Thought subsumes pan-vitalism, which allows they acknowledgement of myriad possible lifeforms. The concept of the Later World in Daesoon Thought, which mainly revealed in The Canonical Scripture and the words of Sangje (Kang Jeungsan), suggests that all kinds of life, including humans, animals, and even spirits in the afterworld, can live together in a perfect coming earthly paradise which is immanent. The concept of Injon can be interpreted though the view of transcendental pragmatics as an alternative to the typical views discussed in Daesoon Thought. Thinkers should attempt to improve current discourse on Injon in Daesoon Thought by focusing on the point that all kinds the original teachings demonstrate a value of all lifeforms. Therein, Injon would indicate not only the human nobility and dignity but also the nobility and dignity of divine beings, divine humans, and all other forms of life that have existed across time. The dimension of time allows for recognition of lifeforms from the Former World, the afterworld, and the Later World. This revised appraisal of Injon could further accommodate denizens of the afterworld, animals, ghosts and spirits, the earth and cloud souls of humans, and other lifeforms held to exist in the cosmology of Daesoon Thought.