Sexuality, ethics

Archive
-Books-

You can read the complete texts of Masahiro Morioka's books. Translations are going on. Page numbers of the original Japanese literature are inserted into the text; citations are possible from the web texts. Translation by English Translation Project friends. ** shows important works.

Essays and Papers are here

An Invitation to the Study of Life(Keiso Shobo 1988) My first book. Philosophical discussions concerning environmental ethics and bioethics. I advocated life studies as a new paradigm. Ch.10, "The discard-the-old problem" is important.
Index and summary(preparing)

Brain Dead Person:From the viewpoint of life studies[Aug.5, 2000]**(Tokyo Shoseki 1989)

A book that has fundamentally changed Japanese bioethics.
It introduced "human-relationship oriented analysis" instead of "brain-centered analysis."
A very new philosophical discussion to English readers (I hope (^^)).
This book sold more than 20 thousand copies, and is one of the basics on contemporary Japanese ethics.

*The Seattle Times, 1997, refers to my remark on brain death (a little bit).

Consciousness Communication**(Chikuma Shobo 1993) An Analysis and speculation on computer-mediated-communications from the viewpoint of deep psychology. The concept of "dream navigator" is very unique and original(probably). The 1994 Telecom Social Science Award winner. Dedicated to W.Olaf Stapledon.
Index and summary(preparing)
*Kumiko Aoki, at University of Hawaii, refers to this book in her paper, "Virtual Communities in JAPAN," 1994.

Reconsidering the Idea of Life**(Chikuma Shobo 1994) Introductory essay on life studies, particularly environmental philosophy and brain death. In this book I argued that we have to focus on, and criticize our own "desire to live a comfortable life", in order to resolve today's global problems concerning life and nature. This is not an easy way to follow; we are apt to fall into a kind of self-deception. This is the weak point of ethics as a discipline. Life studies is needed here, instead of ethics.
Index and summary(preparing)

How to Live in a Post-religious Age**(Hozokan 1996) After Aum Shinrikyo's sarin gas attack in Tokyo, I wrote this book for 2 months, and this became the first volume of my lifework, Life Studies Series. I declared that I do not choose the paths of religion on the one hand, and do not choose the paths of science on the other. I go through the third way between religion and science, continuously examining myself and my attitudes in every day settings. I do not make or join a closed group. Instead, I seek someone to support each other from a distance. This is the basis of life studies. The best book I have ever written so far.
Index and summary(preparing)
*Ryuzaburo Matsubara, at University of Tokyo, refers to this book in his article in Japan Echo, 1996.

The Art and Wisdom of Facing our Self(PHP Publishers 1997) Collection of essays appeared in newspapers, magazines, and journals. You can read the whole text on the web in Japanese.
Index and summary(preparing)

NO PICTURE

Life Torn Apart**(1)-(11) (series of essays in Bukkyo journal 1995-1998) I tried to analyze the nature of contemporary civilization by using three concepts, namely, "the nature of connectedness (to all living things)", "the nature of self-interest", and "the nature of mutual support", which are embedded in the base of our life. These natures sometimes keep in harmony, but sometimes conflict with each other. And in the latter case, mediation is impossible. I think of rewriting this to be a book in the future.... You can read the whole text on the web in Japanese. And you can read a summary in my essay, The Human Natures and Modern Civilization.
Index and summary(preparing)

NO PICTURE Lifestudies Approaches to Bioethics: A New Perspective on Brain Death, Feminism, and Disability (Now writing in Japanese. To be published from Keiso Shobo in 2001). Through the analysis of brain death, reproductive technology, Japanese feminist approaches to bioethics, and Japanese debates on disability and bioethics, a completely new form of bioethics will appear. Probably the first introduction of Japanese feminist bioethics in 1970s into English speaking world. "Feminist approaches", "disability studies", and "life studies" will fundamentally change bioethics in the 21st century. I will translate this book into English, and upload it on this website. Please wait...

	An Invitation to the Study of Life(Keiso Shobo 1988) My first book. Philosophical discussions concerning environmental ethics and bioethics. I advocated life studies as a new paradigm. Ch.10, "The discard-the-old problem" is important. Index and summary(preparing)
	Brain Dead Person:From the viewpoint of life studies[Aug.5, 2000]*(Tokyo Shoseki 1989) A book that has fundamentally changed* Japanese bioethics. It introduced "human-relationship oriented analysis" instead of "brain-centered analysis." A very new philosophical discussion to English readers (I hope (^^)). This book sold more than 20 thousand copies, and is one of the basics on contemporary Japanese ethics. *The Seattle Times, 1997, refers to my remark on brain death (a little bit).
	Consciousness Communication*(Chikuma Shobo 1993) An Analysis and speculation on computer-mediated-communications from the viewpoint of deep psychology. The concept of "dream navigator" is very unique and original(probably). The 1994 Telecom Social Science Award winner. Dedicated to W.Olaf Stapledon. Index and summary(preparing) Kumiko Aoki, at University of Hawaii, refers to this book in her paper, "Virtual Communities in JAPAN," 1994.
	Reconsidering the Idea of Life*(Chikuma Shobo 1994) Introductory essay on life studies, particularly environmental philosophy and brain death. In this book I argued that we have to focus on, and criticize our own "desire* to live a comfortable life", in order to resolve today's global problems concerning life and nature. This is not an easy way to follow; we are apt to fall into a kind of self-deception. This is the weak point of ethics as a discipline. Life studies is needed here, instead of ethics. Index and summary(preparing)
	How to Live in a Post-religious Age*(Hozokan 1996) After Aum Shinrikyo's sarin gas attack in Tokyo, I wrote this book for 2 months, and this became the first volume of my lifework, Life Studies Series. I declared that I do not choose the paths of religion on the one hand, and do not choose the paths of science on the other. I go through the third way between religion and science, continuously examining myself and my attitudes in every day settings. I do not make or join a closed group. Instead, I seek someone to support each other from a distance. This is the basis of life studies. The best book I have ever written so far. Index and summary(preparing) Ryuzaburo Matsubara, at University of Tokyo, refers to this book in his article in Japan Echo, 1996.
	The Art and Wisdom of Facing our Self(PHP Publishers 1997) Collection of essays appeared in newspapers, magazines, and journals. You can read the whole text on the web in Japanese. Index and summary(preparing)
NO PICTURE	Life Torn Apart*(1)-(11) (series of essays in Bukkyo* journal 1995-1998) I tried to analyze the nature of contemporary civilization by using three concepts, namely, "the nature of connectedness (to all living things)", "the nature of self-interest", and "the nature of mutual support", which are embedded in the base of our life. These natures sometimes keep in harmony, but sometimes conflict with each other. And in the latter case, mediation is impossible. I think of rewriting this to be a book in the future.... You can read the whole text on the web in Japanese. And you can read a summary in my essay, The Human Natures and Modern Civilization. Index and summary(preparing)
NO PICTURE	Lifestudies Approaches to Bioethics: A New Perspective on Brain Death, Feminism, and Disability (Now writing in Japanese. To be published from Keiso Shobo in 2001). Through the analysis of brain death, reproductive technology, Japanese feminist approaches to bioethics, and Japanese debates on disability and bioethics, a completely new form of bioethics will appear. Probably the first introduction of Japanese feminist bioethics in 1970s into English speaking world. "Feminist approaches", "disability studies", and "life studies" will fundamentally change bioethics in the 21st century. I will translate this book into English, and upload it on this website. Please wait...