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(★)(The knotty problems addressed here by an eminent historian and a leading religious leader are significant, contemporary issues, the resolution of which --if it materializes-- will have effects reaching far beyond the present generations. They range from the individual, such as the attitude to be taken toward suicide and euthanasia, to the global : in what way can societies respond to such challenges as burgeoning population, pollution that affects the rich as well as the poor, dwindling natural resources and the technological sophistication that already transcends national boundaries? ／Their search is less for abstract answers than for the meaning of developments to the individual human being. Thus they pose an underlying choice : will solutions lead to subjugation to totalitarian regimes, or can a human revolution in thinking and morals enhance mankind´s destiny? And beyond the immediate problems, they examine other, perennial ones, regarding the nature of man, his relation to other creatures, to nature, and to the universe. ／To this dialogue, both participants bring wide-ranging intellects and a sincere concern for the survival of the human race. Arnold J. Toynbee, raised in the Judaic-Christian tradition of the West, came in his many works to take a penetrating look at not only the history of nations but of world civilizations. Daisuke Ikeda, a man of the East and a Buddhist, has carried on an international advocacy for peace in meetings with world leaders in China, Europe, the Soviet Union, the United States, and the United Nations. ／They explore a multitude of phenomena from the present and from the past and speak of reasons for optimism as well as pessimism, of sources of strength as well as seeds of disintegration. Among the themes that are central are the oneness of mankind and the universe, the relation of karma to human life, man´s responsibility to improve karma, and what they see as the dilemma facing the individual and society : self-mastery or self-destruction. ◆Arnold J. Toynbee was born in London in 1889 and received a thoroughly classical education at Winchester College and at Balliol College, Oxford. From 1919 to 1924, he was Koraes professor of Byzantine and modern Greek language and history at London University, and from 1912 to 1955, director of studies at the Royal Institute of International Affairs and research professor in international history at London University. Following his retirement, he traveled, lectured, and taught at, among other institutions, the University of Denver, New Mexico State University, and Mills College. His ´magnum opus´ is the twelve-volume ´Study of History´, published between 1934 and 1961 ; it and many of his other historical and philosophical studies have been translated into (besides European languages) Arabic, Gujarati, Japanese, Korean, Persian, and Sinhalese. Professor Toynbee died in 1975, at the age of eighty-six. ／Daisaku Ikeda was born in Tokyo in 1928. Though his formal education ended with junior college, he continued to study philosophy, politics, literature, art, economics, law, chemistry, and other subjects under his mentor Josei Toda. In 1960, he succeeded Toda as president of Soka Gakkai, which is a Buddhist lay organization for the promotion of education, culture, and peace, with a membership of ten million in Japan and half a million in other countries. He is the founder of a university, junior and senior high schools, the Fuji Art Museum, the Oriental Institute of Academic Research, the Min-on Concert Association, and publisher of the Seikyo Press. His writings in Japanese (numbering more than forty) reflect his wide-ranging interests and include poetry, works on science, politics and civilization, and supervision of a six-volume encyclopedia of Buddhist philosophy. ´The Human Revolution´ and ´The Living Buddha´ are among works of his that have been translated into Chinese, Dutch, English, French, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish. ▼CONTENTS／ ■I : PERSONAL AND SOCIAL LIFE ●1.The Basic Human Being／Some of Our Animal Aspects／Heredity and Environment／Mind and Body／The Subconscious／Reason and Intuition／ ●2.The Environment／ Oneness of Man and Nature／Natural and Man-made Disasters／Urban Problems／Returning to Rural Areas／Imminent Doom／Ending Environmental Pollution／ ●3.The Intellect／Education／Literature´s Influence／Intellectuals and the Masses／Intellectual and Artistic Involvement／Limits of the Scientific Intellect／ ●4.Health and Welfare／ Practitioners of the Healing Art／Organ Transplantation／Medical Treatment : Scientific and Total／Assisting the Aged／GNP or Gross National Welfare／The Profession of Motherhood／Breeding to the Limit／ ●5.Man as the Social Animal／ The Labor Movement／Leisure and Its Uses／Sense of Value in Social Organization／Allegiance to Organizations／The Establishment and the Generation Gap／Neutrality of the Mass Media／Restrictions on Freedom of the Press／Abolition of the Death Penalty／Suicide and Euthanasia／ ■II : POLITICAL AND INTERNATIONAL LIFE ●6.The Second Half of This Century／ The United States／The Space Exploration Race／Japan and Britain／No Candidate for King／Demise of the Local State／Countries Susceptible to Communism／World-embracing Patriotism／ ●7.Arms and War／ Economic Growth and War／Peaceful Utilization of Atomic Power／Proxy Wars and Asia／Self-defense and the Japanese Constitution／Future Police Forces／The Nature and Future of War／ ●8.Choosing a Political System／ Qualities of a Good Leader／Safeguards against Fascism／The Nature, Means, and Ends of Power／Democracy or Dictatorship／Democracy or Meritocracy／ ●9.One World／ International Currency／East Asia´s Role／Japan´s Contribution to the Future／From Bipolarity to Multipolarity／World Unification／ ■III : PHILOSOPHICAL AND RELIGIOUS LIFE／ ●10.The Nature of Things／ Origin of Life／The Question of Eternal Life／The Universe／Intelligent Beings on Other Planets／Beyond Waves and Subatomic Particles／Religious Approaches to Ultimate Reality／The Buddhist Approach／ ●11.Roles Religion Plays／ Religion as the Source of Vitality／Three Western Religions／Returning to Pantheism／ ●12.Good and Evil／ The Mixture of Good and Evil／Dealing with Desires／The Meaning of Fate／Defining True Progress／Love and Conscience／Compassion as Practicable Love／Expanding the Sphere of Love／The Highest Human Value／) |
BASE de DATOS, Biblioteca del Centro Cultural de la Embajada de Japon
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