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Teaching
Philosophy & Ethics
in Japan
An Interview with
Tetsuya Kono
2009
By: Saeed Naji & Samira Pezeshkpour
Tetsuya Kono is visiting Researcher in Tamagawa University Brain Science Institute, Rikkyo University. His Field of Specialization is Philosophy of Mind, Philosophy of Body, Theoretical Psychology, Applied Etics and Moral education. He is also a member of Japanese society of philosophy, Japanese Society for phenomenology, Japanese society for philosophy of science, Merleau-Ponty circle Japan and Japanese society for philosophy of education .
Q: We kwon p4c achievements have had some effects in all of countries. The program is under consideration in many countries. Could you tell us what effect p4c program did have on educational activities in Japan?
As to philosophy education, there is no class of philosophy but only class of moral or character education up to the upper secondary level. At elementary school, teachers teach pupils how to judge on moral issues and how to behave morally with an aim to teaching good citizenship in the class named "Doutoku (morality)". At the same time, teachers try to develop pupils’ moral emotions and pupils’ sympathy to others in the class of literature. However, in these classes of “morality” and “literature”, teachers do not facilitate pupils’ ability to think and discuss with other class mates. The essence of philosophy consists in thinking and debating. Accordingly, these teachings at elementary school cannot be called philosophical education. However, recently, there is a trend to introduce Educational debate in the class of moral education at primary and lower secondary schools; there are several guidebooks for teachers to practice debates in a class of moral education at primary and lower secondary schools in Japan. Educational debate surely develops pupils’ ability to think deeply and logically. I hope that this educational method will be widely adopted in the classes of human and social sciences, as well as the class of philosophy.
Q: We have some problems with our current system of education as you have cited in your paper" Debates and …" e.g. with entrance examination. It was said:” our system of education will not be changed, when the structures of exams are the same”. Do you have any suggestion to change the style of evaluation and assessment in schools?
Most Japanese entrance examinations of human and social sciences are to test general knowledge, and most of them are multiple choice type, word filling type, or even true-false type. Such types of test would be valid in the case of mathematics, some natural sciences, and foreign languages. Nevertheless, if most questions of human and social sciences are those types, their effects on the education would be catastrophic. They make students wrongly believe that what is needed for the study of human and social sciences is only memories, never one’s thinking and construction of logical arguments. If we want to examine students’ abilities of thinking and arguing, entrance examinations should be the type of long-essay-writing, commentary writing on a text, or group discussion. Actually, these types of test are often used in the companies as entrance examination or promotion test. However, in order to adopt these types of test entrance examination, Japanese universities does not have enough budgets and manpower. Japanese university professors are too busy to make more time for entrance examination. Japanese universities cannot give examination without the aid of professors, since they don’t have specialized secretaries for entrance examination. Accordingly, Japanese universities need more budges and specialized offices to change the way of entrance examination.
Q:How could we have the books (English versions) that you mentioned in your paper "Debates and …"? E.g. these books: 1 The method of knowledge 2 - Araki (1996) 3- Ethics. We found them interesting and like to study and may be used them in our teaching. Do you know any English books that could help students in universities (like the method of knowledge)?
As I said, educational debate is often introduced in the class of moral education, and there are several guidebooks for teachers to practice debates in a class of moral education (Araki 1996; Matsuo & Sanaga 1995; Okamoto 1994; Yoshimizu 1995). I sometimes make students debates in the classes of philosophy in a university, but I don’t use a specialized text of debating. I use only philosophical text books in which there are “summary questions”, and make students debate on the questions. I have used as a text in an introductory class; Stephen Law’s the Philosophy gym (London: Headline book pub).
Q:Are you sure “the how to books” doesn’t make such problems like the older ways? I mean may be the students just keep them in their memories and again doesn’t learn anything practically.
To develop one’s ability of thinking is, I think, not an easy thing. It surely needs long term practice and its end is open. So called “the how to books” are not apt to such type of practice.
Q:How do you use “debates” method in schools in practice? Do you change the styles of the classes and curriculum? What are differences of this method with Community of Inquiry?
I already answered partly this question in the answer 3. In my university, I often use debate type education in the classes of university. The possibility of debate type learning depends on the size of a class. Naturally if there are more than 30 students, the class debate or discussion becomes very difficult. I think that educational debate is one way to practice Community of Inquiry. Educational debate is a method to develop especially the ability of logical and critical thinking.
Q:Can you discuss what the differences between debate and dialogue are? I know in Islamic tradition there is some way like Debate but just two parties are in debate. From where have you been inspired the idea of debate? Did Japanese tradition inspire you?
The aims of dialogue are various. Sometimes it aims mutual understanding, sometimes reconciliation, sometimes making common agreement. On the other hand, the aim of debate is to win, namely, persuade the audience better than the opponent. Educational debate I have mentioned models on the debate in law courts. Debate makes participants more competitive and more motivated. However, there are some limits for educational debate. Debate can be used only for the themes which can be answered yes or no like in a law court debate. Not only me but most Japanese teachers who use educational debate are inspired by the pedagogy for communication and critical thinking. There have been religious and ideological debates in the history of Japan. In the 13th and 15th century, there are many debates among opposing schools of Buddhism as well as among Buddhists and Christians. During the epoch of Tokugawas Shogunat in 17th Century, there were also debates among Buddhists, Confucians, and Shitoists on various ideological and political themes. Nevertheless, there is no direct connection between these traditions and our actual educational practice.
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