from Japanese Philosophy The "is" and the "does."

On the contrast between "is" and ["does"

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In analyzing Japanese thought and political culture, Masao Maruyama presented a contrast between two linguistic and thinking styles, "### is" and "[* [do ". This is not just a difference in grammar, but reflects a difference in the thinking styles and values of Japanese society.

1. "is" type of thinking

. The "is" type of thinking is a style that [* assumes objective facts and entities and builds them up logically.

Features

• Logical and objective

• → Systematic discussion with emphasis on factual correctness and consistency.

• based on a fixed concept.

• → Things are definitively organized as "A is B".

• E.g., "Japan is a modern nation" and "Democracy is the division of power."

• High affinity with Western rationalism.

• → Commonly used in science, law, philosophy, etc.

• Benefits

• Easy to have clear definitions and standards

• Consistent theory building is possible

• Objectivity, easy to criticize and verify

Disadvantages

• Difficulty in flexibly perceiving diverse real-life situations
• Easily viewed as absolutes and slow to respond to change

2. "Do" type thinking

. The "do" type of thinking is a style that [* emphasizes proactive action and practice and makes decisions based on the situation.

Features

• Practical and Situational.

• → Things can be thought of as centered around the act of "doing ____".

• Examples: "make democracy," "modernize," "make war."

• fluid and flexible.

• → Tend to change their thinking and behavior depending on the situation.

• High affinity for Japanese-like cultural and political climate.

• → Easily consistent with the tendency to "read the air" and "adapt to the mood of the place".

• Benefits

• Easily adaptable to change

• Flexibility to respond to real-world situations

• Good for consensus building within a community.

Disadvantages

• Consistency and principles tend to be weak.
• Difficult to construct a systematic theory
• Easily drift into subjective and emotional judgments

3. Significance of the contrast between "is" and "does"

. Masao Maruyama pointed out that Japanese politics and thought are characterized by a strong tendency toward the "do" rather than the "is" type.

Example in Japanese political culture

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• "be democratic" vs. "do democracy".

• → If "it is a democracy," it assumes universal rules and institutions and emphasizes adherence to them.

• → If you "do democracy," the emphasis is on actual operation and people's consensus building, and the rules themselves can vary.

• "is war" vs. "waging war".

• → If "it is war," then the definition and legal concept of the state of war is called into question.

• → If "waging war," the emphasis is on actual combat actions and strategic decisions.

Relation to the social structure of Japan

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• Japanese politics tends to focus more on actual operation and compromise ("do") than on the legitimacy of principles and institutions ("is").
• Companies and organizations also have a strong culture of "making decisions based on the situation" rather than on explicit rules.
• Even in academia and thought, there is a tendency to favor arguments based on actual experiences and situations over theoretical coherence.

4. Application to modern times

. This contrast between "is" and "does" is also relevant to current social issues and decision-making.

Issues in Contemporary Japan

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• Lack of "is" type → Lack of principles.

• → Weak awareness of establishing and adhering to clear principles and systems.

• → e.g., ambiguity in interpretation of the Constitution, formality of laws

• "do" type excess → ad hoc response.

• → Give priority to the atmosphere and relationship rather than principles.

• → e.g., "I can't do it because there is no precedent" or "I will follow because everyone else is doing it."

**Related to Digital Democracy.

• Reinforcing "is" type thinking allows for transparent, data-driven discussions.
• By leveraging the strengths of the "do" model, a flexible and participatory democratic system can be established.
• AI-based decision support could be a new approach that integrates "is" type analysis and "does" type practice.

5. Summary

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Masao Maruyama's point is not merely a difference in language, but is deeply relevant to the nature of decision-making in Japanese society. How to strike a balance between "is" and "does" has become an important issue in today's society and politics.

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