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Amane Nishi

Born: February 3, 1829 in Tsuwano province, Ishimi country (now Tsuwano City, Shimane prefecture)
Died: January 31, 1897Education


Landmarks

  • Studied the doctrine of Chu-tzu and Sorai school
  • 1853 Withdraw from Tsuwano clan for the purpose of Western studies
  • 1857 Assistant for professor of shogunate
  • 1862 Entered Raiden University in Dutch with Shindo Tsuda
  • 1865 Professor of Kaisei place at Tokugawa shogunate
  • Close confidant of Edo General
  • 1870 Director of school system at Ministry of Military
  • 1872 Clerk at Army
  • Lectured Encyclopedia at private cram school “Ikueikai”

Contributions

  • He created the word “Shinrigaku.” This word is now used to mean “Psychology.” Even though he didn’t use the word as psychology (Actually, he used to translate it as “Mental Philosophy Including Intellect, Sensibilities, and Will”), the word is broadly known and used in Japan.

Honors

  • 1890 Member at House of Peers
  • 1882 Patres conscripti
  • 1881 President of Tokyo normal school and administrator at Ministry of Education
  • 1879 Director at Academy

Keywords

  • Philosophy of enlightenment
  • Western studies

References

  • Hiroshi Oizumi (2003). Nihonshinrigakusha-jiten. Tokyo: Kabushiki Kaisha Kress Shuppan.
  • Tatsuya Sato, Hazime Mizoguchi, (1997). Tsushi Nihon-no-shinrigaku. Kyoto: Kitaoji Shobo.
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