Division of Philosophy Department of Ethic

Created with the foundation of Kyoto Imperial University’s College of Letters in 1906, the Department of Ethics is one of the six oldest departments within the Faculty of Letters. Professor Köichi Kano, the first chair of the department who served concurrently as the first dean of the College of Letters, built the foundation for the unique academic culture of Kyoto University’s Faculty of Letters, inviting prominent intellectuals from outside of the academic establishment, such as Konan Naito and Rohan Koda, to serve as professors.

The aim of the department is the contemplation of human behavior from a philosophical perspective, or the study of “social philosophy” in the broader sense of that term. Research themes of students may be categorized largely into either ethical theory or applied ethics, but in choosing either one, students must nonetheless maintain an awareness of the other. Also, historical studies providing an overview of the entire spectrum of ethical thought are also important, serving as a filter to separate genuine scholastic study from arbitrary ideas or mere statements of opinion.

Within the department, study sessions and reading circles, organized mostly by graduate students, are held on a regular basis. Students can receive great intellectual stimulus by availing themselves of the opportunity to participate in these activities. During the summer vacation, students and faculty members together attend an intensive study camp focusing on a specific theme — an important annual event that also strengthens friendship and communication. Publications from the department include Jissen Tetsugaku Kenky, a journal with a history of forty years, as well as compilations of source materials produced through several projects and collections of research papers, which serve as references for students in deciding their own research orientations.