Abstract

Önishi Yoshinori was one of the leading figures in aesthetics from 1930s to 1950s in Japan. Mostly influenced by neo-Kantian H. Cohen, Önishi argued that the whole system of aesthetics must be deduced from the a-priori principle that constitutes 'aesthetic experience.' He claimed that the Japanese or the Western aesthetic characteristics per se are irrelevant to the system of aesthetics, because they are merely historical issues. On the other hand, he dealt with comparative studies between Eastern and Western aesthetics within his systematic aesthetics. He tried to derive Japanese aesthetic categories from the 'fundamental aesthetic categories' that can be deduced from the a-priori principle and to incorporate the former into the universal theoretical system of aesthetics. For him, the deductive system of his aesthetics can be compatible with his comparative studies. It follows, however, that his comparative studies incorporated into the deductive system of aesthetics lack the insight into the historicity of individual aesthetic categories. His a-priori system suppressed the fact that his argument was aimed at justifying Japanese traditions against the modern West. In this sense his aesthetics is to be characterized as a kind of 'orientalism.' See my article 'Some Aspects of Japanese Aesthetics: How has it Discussed "Japanese Qualities" ? ' in International Yearbook of Aesthetics 2 ,pp. 63-80