Reconstruction in Philosophy

Invited to lecture at Tokyo’s Imperial University in early 1919, the author uses those talks as a springboard to explore how philosophical thinking is being reshaped. He presents a balanced view, contrasting older, more literal approaches with newer, symbol‑laden inquiries, and highlights the forces that make such a reconstruction unavoidable. The tone is both scholarly and personal, reflecting gratitude for the hospitality that inspired this reflective journey.

The opening chapters turn to memory as the defining human faculty that separates us from other animals. By recalling past experiences not for practical calculation but for emotional enrichment, we turn stones into monuments and flames into symbols of home and continuity. This imaginative re‑casting of the past creates narratives that give present moments deeper meaning, suggesting that the very way we think about reality is itself a story constantly being revised.