Takahashi, Takao

Title: Professor, (Kumamoto University)

Contact Information:

Address　Faculty of Letters, 2-40-1 Kurokami Kumamoto City, 860-8555, Japan

Email ttaka@kumamoto-u.ac.jp

Office phone 096-342-2405

Preferred means of contact: Email

Courses Taught: Applied Ethics, Foundation of Ethical Theory, Ethics Based on Social Research

Research Interests/Specialized Area:

Applied Ethics

Detailed Descriptions: Bioethics, Environmental Ethics, Ethics Based on Social Research

My field of specialty is Applied Ethics.

1.Foundation of Ethics

　I consider the fundamentals of ethics are inseparable from our daily lives. More specifically, traditional or present ethics, moral norms, principles do indeed limit (place restrictions on) our daily actions and behaviors. However, without the support of these actions, norms or principles cannot be what they are.

Therefore, the focus should be placed on the roles that one holds within daily practices, which in turn stand within the context of history, rather than viewing ethical or moral norms or principles as prima facie and universal on their own(to speak for themselves).

From over, I believe, examining the situations in which ethics realizes in specific forms is important in ethical research.

Namely, applied ethics is not merely where universal and prima facie ethical principles or norms to be applied. More precisely, it is where those are to be examined closely, to be tested, and new norms to be discovered.

2. Applied Ethics

Based on the above statements, it is to be concluded that Applied Ethics is not a mere application of ethics. Through considerations in from Applied Ethics, it is possible for new Ethics to emerge.

The field of Applied Ethics covers a wide range of topics, however, most of my current interests are and on Bioethics on Environmental Ethics

In bioethics, the focus is on concepts such as the rights of patients, human dignity, quality of life, the Principle of Utility, the principles of self-determination, paternalism, care and so forth in order to consider brain death and organ transplantation, euthanasia and death with dignity, abortion, human embryos, human cloning, enhancement, and surrogate mother issues.

Environmental Ethics re-conceptualizes such problems as environmental pollution, resources and energy depletion, global warming, conservation of nature, protection of biodiversity, world population explosion, rights of animals and natural objects, by examining / observing the direction of present day values and the nature of human beings, technology, and artifacts.

I believe both Bioethics and Environmental are relatively compatible fields of Ethics, rather than to view them in conflict as generally has been stated.

The synthesis of Bioethics and Environmental is required in such areas as human embryo, experimental animals, and issues of future generation, where two fields of ethics overlap.

I conceptualize this synthesis as centering on the notion of Care.

This view does not simply treat care as relationship between individuals, but a position which understands care to be applied to human embryo, human fetus, animals and plants, nature, and to the deads and gods.

3. New perspectives on Ethics

If these are true, then, it will become important in ethics to comprehend people’s attitudes on values and life in general, and situations surrounding them.

Therefore, I strongly believe survey questionnaire and interviews on are very useful in researching attitudes and actual conditions.

However, since these types of research had not been conducted in Ethics, in orders to establish them as a firm methodology, a great deal of efforts are required. This is a realization of the method, Reflective Equilibrium, as J. Rawls called it.

I conducted several researches over a span of three years with research grants. Since survey questionnaires were conducted among Middle School and High School students, the researchers was closely related to the current educational issues. The title of this researcher is “anketo chousa ni motoduku doutokuisiki no shosou ni kansuru kennkyuu [survey research on various aspects of moral attitudes ].”

This methodology is not limited to the field of education, but is applicable to other fields such as bioethics or environmental ethics.

From 2003, I have been receiving research grants in attempt to synthesize bioethics, environmental ethics and informational ethics. Here again, theoretical examinations as well as attitudinal research are interdependent.

４．Recent Publications / Representative Publications

Takahashi, T. (2008), Seimei, Kankyou, Kea- Nihonnteki seimeirinnri no kanousei [Life, Environment and Care-

Possibility of Japanese way of bioethics] Kyusyuu Daigaku Shuppann-kai.

Takahahi,T. & Yahata, H.(Eds.) (2008), Jikoketteironn no Yukue [Tracks of the arguments on self-

determination], Kyusyuu Daigaku Shuppann-kai.

Takahashi,T. & Asai, A. (Eds.)(2007) , Nihonnno Seimeirinnri - Kaikoto to Tennbou,[Japanese bioethics-

Reviews and Perspectives],Kyusyuu Daigaku Shuppann-kai.

Takahashi, T. (Ed.). (2007). Kougaku Rinnri,[Engineering Ethics], Riko Tosho

Takahashi, T. (Ed.). (2005). Taking Life and Death Seriouly- Bioethics from Japan, Advances in Bioethics, vol.8, Elsevier.

Takahashi, T. (Ed.). (2005). Seimei, Joho, Kikai, [Life, Information and Machine]. Fukuoka, Japan: Kyusyuu Daigaku Shuppann-kai.

Takahasihi. T (Ed.). (2004). Seimei to kannkyou no kyoumei. [Resonance of life and environment]. Fukuoka, Japan: Kyushuu Daigaku Shuppann-kai.

Takahashi, T. & Taguchi, H (Eds.). (2004). “Yokishi no sahou” wo megutte [On “manner of good death”]. Fukuoka, Japan: Kumanichi Shuppan

Takahashi, T. & Taguchi, H (Eds.). (2003). Yokishi no sahou [Manner of good death]. Fukuoka, Japan: Kyushuu Daigaku Shuppann-kai.

Takahashi, T. (Ed.). (2002). Hito no seimei to ninngenn no sonngenn [Human life and human dignity]. Fukuoka, Japan: Kyushuu Daigaku Shuppann-kai.

Nakayama, M. & Takahashi, T (Eds.) (2001). Kearonn no shatei [Scope of the theory of care]. Fukuoka, Japan: Kyushuu Daigaku Shuppann-kai.

Takahasihi. T. (2001).Jikokettei no jidai no rinnrigaku [Ethics in the era of self-determination]. Fukuoka, Japan: Kyushuu Daigaku Shuppann-kai.

Takahasihi. T (Ed.). (1999). Idennshi no jidai no rinnri [Ethics in the era of genes]. Fukuoka, Japan: Kyushuu Daigaku Shuppann-kai.

5. Symposium

　UNESCO- Kumamoto University Bioethics Roundtable

Topic:Life as a value

Dates: December 13^th and 14^th, 2008

Location：Reception Room, Kusunoki Hall (North Campus, Kumamoto University, Japan)

Call for papers:

The roundtable is open to submission of abstracts (300 words in English) for additional papers.

There will also be extensive discussion time, so attendees are also welcome.

For details and further information, please contact me via email:

Takao Takahashi

Professor of Ethics

Kumamoto University

　jk-taka@kumamoto-u.ac.jp