In recent years, social media such as Twitter, Facebook, and LINE has become common in the lives of the people in Asian countries. In this paper, we will examine ethical challenges related to social media from a perspective of normative theories. Many of the general ideas surrounding current social media belong to naturalistic optimism. They use it without any hesitation every time a new social medium is introduced, and believe that the society is getting better by doing so. It seems (...) too irresponsible if a social media company just provides a service and leaves it up to the judgment of users. Efforts to widely inform risks of social media should not target adults only. It should target minors as the most imminent issue. The laissez-faire system in social media can be considered as a laissez-faire system for companies managing social media. Among philosophical theories of technology, there is an idea of social constructivism. It is a theory that society can determine the future of technology. I will give a concrete example of social constructivism. The society must find a way to live with social media ahead of technology, not allowing the technology of social media to build a society. (shrink)

Social ontology focuses on questions about the reality of human categories. The typical examples are gender and race. Common questions about them are: Do they exist? What is their nature? Do they exist in the best possible way? Meanwhile, the philosophy of psychiatry has been discussing the reality of psychopathology, what is the best way to classify mental disorders, and whether it is possible to define them without normative vocabulary. I think there is something not only strange but inadequate about (...) these discussions being held apart. Particularly, I hold that by being held separately these discussions are philosophically incomplete. In this paper, I argue that these debates are parallel in crucial aspects, but more importantly that they can benefit from each other if they start a dialogue. I suggest some paths we can take to start fruitful discussions and offer examples of the kind of outcomes we can expect. However, my main contribution is to sketch a common framework to map current discussions, make comparisons between them, and, more importantly, guide new research. (shrink)

Can genetic testing and manipulation be done ethically? -- Is the use of human embryos in stem cell research ethical? -- Chapter 3:is assisted reproductive technology ethical?

The Thinking Critically series introduces students to the complex issues that dominate public discourse and challenges them to become discerning readers, to think independently, and to engage and develop their skills as critical thinkers. Chapters are organized in a pro/con format, in which a single author synthesizes predominant arguments for and against an issue into clear, accessible discussions supported by details and evidence including relevant facts, direct quotes, current examples, and statistical illustrations. All volumes include focus questions to guide students (...) as they read each pro/con discussion, a list of key facts, source notes, and an annotated list of related organizations and websites for conducting further research. Book jacket. (shrink)

The question is: How did the Japanese Hegel's philosophy receive and criticize? On the way of an argument with the topic "The Japanese philosophy and Hegel" I want to show that Hegel represent a junction in the western philosophies and his ideas were transformed later especially within the ranges of humanities for understanding new developments. If the Hegel- interpretation is today again in a transitional situation, and if Hegel's work shows us in its effect even always new perspectives, then we (...) will be recalled that not only Hegel's understanding the world and the scientific system, but also later receptions of the philosophical tradition have each conditional temporary borders, in addition, possibilities. (shrink)

The question is how have the Japanese received and analyzed Hegel’s philosophy? In addressing the theme of “Japanese philosophy and Hegel”, I would like to show that Hegel represents a junction in Western philosophy and that his ideas were transformed later, especially within the ranges of the sciences for understanding new developments. If interpretation of Hegel is again in transition today, and if Hegel’s work shows up in newer perspectives, we shall recall that not only Hegel’s understanding of the world (...) and of the scientific system, but also the subsequent reception of the philosophical tradition present a new meaning for our times. Historically, Japanese philosophy has used both Eastern and Western ideas. It assumes that foreign ideas, which are necessarily plural andthus possess contradictory values, should be examined with respect to their special factors. Japanese philosophy transforms the stranger forms according to their own cultural problems, in order to preserve its identity. In this tension between dependence and independence and the harmonization of the plurality, one can understand Japanese philosophy. The reference of the Japanese to European philosophy means that the Japanese are no longer meeting with strangers, butare discovering themselves. It is no longer a question of Christianity versus Zen Buddhism, between the Western thinking of being and the Eastern experience of the nothingness, but for Japanese philosophy to free itself from such comparisons. Just in this way, can it see itself in the stranger, and the stranger in itself. (shrink)