Philosophers of Nothingness by James W. Heisig

After the impressive rigor displayed in the collection of essays he published with John C. certain to remain a reference point for future studies, not only about Japanese intellectual history, but also about the vast and heterogeneous phenomenon of interreligious dialogue, as well as the history of world philosophy In addition, the book is an interesting historical chronicle in that it documents the opening of Japan’s borders to the West and the subsequent Japanese academic response to Western ideas. This book will be of interest to anyone involved in the study of continental philosophy, particularly phenomenology, as well as those interested in Zen and Pure Land Buddhism.Philosophers of Nothingness has great merit as a broad-based study of the Kyoto school.Heisig’s book stands out as one of the most insightful and fascinating studies of the philosophies of the Kyoto school that simultaneously contributes to scholarship on and functions as an introduction to the philosophies of nothingness.no small contribution to making the philosophies of nothingness simply compelling Heisig weaves biographical narrative, contextual elaboration, philosophical explication, and critical analysis effortlessly (it appears), resulting in a fascinating and absorbing reading experience. firmly situates Nishida in conversation with two other major Kyoto School figures: Tanabe Hajime and Nishitani Keiji Heisig is a permanent research fellow at the Nanzan Institute for Religion and Culture in Nagoya, Japan.

In this extensive study, the ideas of Nishida Kitaro, Tanabe Hajime, and Nishitani Keiji are presented both as a consistent school of thought in its own right and as a challenge to the Western philosophical tradition to open itself to the original contribution of Japan. James Heisig, a longstanding participant in these efforts, has filled that gap with Philosophers of Nothingness. The past twenty years have seen the publication of numerous translations and commentaries on the principal philosophers of the Kyoto School, but so far no general overview and evaluation of their thought has been available, either in Japanese or in Western languages.

Philosophers of Nothingness by James W. Heisig