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Public Philosophy (Politics) [Subject offered by School of Political Science and Economics]

Shugo Terasaki, 3rd year student, School of Political Science and Economics

At Building No. 3 on Waseda Campus. Professor Junichi Saito (left) and Mr. Terasaki (right)

"It is a discursive space that is conditional on a plurality of values and that arises between people who are each interested in a common world in their own way."

Professor Junichi Saito (Faculty of Political Science and Economics Professor), who is in charge of the compulsory course "Public Philosophy (Politics)" (open subject) in School of Political Science and Economics, explains "publicness" in his book "Public Nature" (Iwanami Shoten).

The world in which we live is one in which a wide variety of opinions, values, and experiences coexist, and often in profound conflict. How can we work together with others in this situation? In other words, how can we create a society that accepts the existence of incommensurable plurality (disagreement), but respects, protects, and promotes, rather than suppresses, the fundamental freedoms that make this possible?

The subject of "Public Philosophy (Politics)" tackles these questions, engaging in dialogue with the debates of thinkers of the past and present, as well as people's practices, to "explore" the ideal form of society in which freedom and plurality are upheld.

The textbook for this course is "Introduction to Public Philosophy: For a Society with Freedom and Plurality" by Junichi Saito and Masashi Yazawa (NHK Publishing), and the reference book is "Thinking about Inequality" by Junichi Saito (Chikuma Shobo).

The lectures contain many hints for reinterpreting the simple doubts we have in our daily lives as public "questions." For example, I had doubts about the discourse that understands "democracy" solely as elections and majority rule, but while taking this course I learned about the concept of deliberative democracy and was strongly attracted to its idea of emphasizing the importance of "discussion." Now, I am researching the role that "listening" should play in deliberative democracy.

Since this is a philosophy class, some abstract and difficult discussions appear. However, the professor explains these discussions in simple vocabulary, incorporating current topics and familiar examples, and responds carefully and thoughtfully to questions and comments from students. Through the process of putting into words what we ourselves have read, felt, and thought about in the lectures, including the inability to understand or empathize this course itself becomes a public space, a place for "open inquiry."