老いの「場」に関する基礎的研究

A Preliminary Study on "Topos" : Where are Old People Fond of Spending their Remaining Time?

Matsui Fumio

広島大学大学院文学研究科論集

The Hiroshima University studies, Graduate School of Letters

The purpose of this paper is to discriminate between "topos" and place and then consider factors of which 'topos' for old people is composed, in order to give an index for the survey. The contents are as follows: 1) introduction---from the spatial place to topos, 2) "topos" in Aristotle, 3) "topos" as a public sphere, 4) "company" and "topos," 5) plays and "topos," 6) appendix.

Independently of whether there are human beings or not, place indicates certain physical space, such a houses, a building, a park, etc. Physical space is insufficient for the construction of "topos," which includes an assembly of human beings. Therefore "topos" is different from place.

Aristotle advocated the idea of "topos" and characterized it as that which embraces the thing as a vessel, no part of it, neither smaller nor greater than it, separable from it, involves the correlative of "above" and "below," and makes rest and movement possible. That is, "topos" has the nature of "the embracing." Therefore it is evident that "topos" postulates the relationship with something. Kitaro Nishida also advocated the "logic of topos," according to which "pure experience" or "direct experience" stands for the universal above individuals. He as well as Aristotle regarded "topos" as a vessel and explains its nesting structure.

With the development of civil society in Europe had appeared "topos" as a public world, which Hannah Arendt called as a "common world" or a "public realm." She insisted on the significance of 'topos' capable of "innumerable perspectives and aspects." Such "topos" will be formed through the discussion based on speeches and arguments. But it should be now questioned what extents we can make a "private sphere" intervene into a "public sphere." This answer can be a barometer to measure satisfaction levels of the related people.

Company also is necessary for the composition of "topos." Watsuji's ethics can be appreciated highly in this respect. But he distorted the meaning of "nakama (=company)" by assigning it to a Chinese letter of "rin." Because he tried to concentrate on a question how company should be and based "nakama" on the "order" of "rin." The important problem is how "nakama" is? Bin Ueda developed phenomenological psychopathology using a concept of "aida (=between or among)." For Japanese people had "aida" played such a role as western God. More than two persons must be concerned in "aida." The extension of "aida" to "nakama" will lead to understand "topos."

Plays also bear a part in the composition of "topos." Schiller once said, "A man is never a true one without plays." Artists are always free and innocent as if they were children. Plays make any people childish but are apt to be neglected and kept away in general. Pascal recognized the value of plays as "divertissement" but finally thought them not to be essential. Considering "topos" for old people, it will be absurd not to pay attentions to the utility of plays. Johann Huizinga and Roger Caillois found unique value in plays. Their theories are worthy of notice in this respect. Huizinga included plays in "absolutely primary category of life" and gave them a role as the foundation of civilization. He believed that serious plays and the sacred would be the same. Plays are characterized as follows: 1) temporal and spatial restrictions, 2) voluntary conducts or activities, 3) rules and absolute compulsion, 4) the end itself (non-productivity), 5) tension, 6) pleasure, 7) above the ordinary. Referring to these characteristics, some factors of "topos" for old people will be 1), 2), 4), 6) and moreover the ordinary.

topos

old people

public sphere

company

plays

Ethics. Morals [ 150 ]

jpn

広島大学大学院文学研究科

[ISSN] 1347-7013

[NCID] AA11643449