It is no surprise that Yukichi Fukuzawa became the prominent figure that he did in Japan at the time. From a young age it was very evident that he did not agree with the traditional thinking of the others in Japan. In his younger years he had very different thoughts about civilization than those around him specifically his brother as they had many disagreements on traditional learning. Fukuzawa’s thoughts on religion and class were very unorthodox for that time which led him to explore the world and develop these thoughts into an actual philosophy. Western civilization played a great role in developing Fukuzawa’s philosophy and view of the world. After observing western society, Fukuzawa believed that western thinking could be integrated into …show more content…
The West had these more advanced technology, but it was not because the westerns smarter than the Japanese. The method in which ideas are developed in these two civilizations was just very different. Once again, Japan was this traditional nation and they did not tip the boat, only going off of what was known and had been taught for generations through values of Confucianism and Buddhism. Western technology was derived from curiosity and experimentation as well as the desire to understand how and why something functions. Westerners are interested in finding what was beneficial or what was harmful, the Japanese feared asking questions. Fukuzawa did not believe in just taking this technology from western civilization, but instilling that curiosity into Japanese civilization. (Fukuzawa 84) Just buying the technology from the west would not help Japan develop into a self-sufficient nation nor would it help them catch up to the western nations. Also without having sufficient infrastructure to support new technology would lead to failure if Japan decided to just buy the machinery and technology from the West. The people must progressively ease into new technology making sure proper measures and precautions are taken to support said technology. Only by allowing the population experiment and break away from the status quo will the society make advancements in the right
In the early 1800’s, Japan had blocked off all trade from other countries. Foreign whaling ships could not even reload or repair their ships in Japan territory. This offended many other countries. In 1852, Matthew Perry was sent to Japan to negotiate open trade. Japan felt threatened by the United States, and gave in to their demands. Japan was frightened by their stipulations, and immediately began to reform. They developed a new education system that was similar to America and Europe’s. They also developed a Western style judiciary system.
The first was to gather young men together and give them the benefit of foreign books as well as education. Due to this belief he had bought many foreign books, started his own school of English education, as well as his creation of the Japanese-English dictionary. His second purpose was to open the “closed” country and bring it more towards western civilization. Fukuzawa believed that through westernization Japan could become strong in both the arts of war and peace and become a world power as well as a symbol of progress in the world. He advocated it through word of mouth, the way he ran his school, how he practiced new forms of public speaking, and his adoption of simple and easy scholarly style for any to enjoy. When he had traveled overseas, he studied the western nations and wrote a whole series of books on the culture, economics, business, and political practices of the western countries he visited, in order to spread western civilization to his
This contrasted to the Ottoman Empire, which did not undergo such a revolution to become an industrialized society. In a state-guided industrialization program, Japan created modern infrastructure by creating railroads, postal systems, and national currency. Along with being a major exporter of textiles, munitions, industrial goods, newspapers, and electric lights were produced. The Ottomans were not able to create industrial economies to fend of European intrusion, and in turn, they depended on Europe. Japan was able to have a solid foundation for its industrial growth due to urban development that took place in the Tokugawa era. Different from the Ottoman Empire, Japan, in its time of peace, had become a fairly urbanized country with an educated population, leading into a burst of economic growth and commercialization. In contrast to the Ottoman Empire, Japan was able to experience industrialization due to the utilization of its own resources. The Ottomans, on the other hand, relied on foreign loans to support economic development. Unable to pay off these massive debts, Europe took control of its revenue-generating
Within a short period of time, Japan had caught up with many Western technologies; having established universities, founded telegraph and railroad lines, as well as a national postal system being created. Shipping and textile industries were a huge success an exports rose.
First, through the operation of the Bokanovsky process. The Bokanovsky process produces ninety-six embryos producing ninety-six humans, while in normality one egg and one embryo produces one human. As the director says in chapter one, "“One egg, one embryo, one adult-normality. But a bokanovskified egg will bud, will proliferate, will divide. From eight to ninety-six buds, and every bud will grow into a perfectly formed embryo, and every embryo into a full-sized adult. Making ninety-six human beings grow where only one grew before" (Huxley 6). This certifies that when a society has a lot of technology they tend to take a lot of shortcuts and not do things the original and in some cases the right way. Second, the step in the procedure that uses alcohol. The alcohol is used in the lab to purposely stunt the growth of some of the embryos. This displays that having too much technology, does harm society members. Third, this process causes a very undiversified society and a very low gene pool. This causes many society members to have the same genes and this potentially stops human evolution. The propagation system attests to be harmful to society, so does the World State’s way of arbitrating social
Learn all you can from the Europeans and Americans"2 was what Emperor Meiji was speaking to the Japanese in 1867. During this period, Japan agreed. to change its hereditary authority and class barriers between its people. Japan also opened their ports during this period 4 and sold fuel to other countries such as the US.5 The Japanese language took a major turn, too. with the addition of borrowed words from all over the world.6 Japan borrowed the American education system of elementary, middle school and universities during this time.7 A new western style army and universal military conscription program was soon set up by General Yamagata Autamo.
The Japanese, as in document fifteen, said that innovations had to be reported, and listed them right next to factional conspiracies, as if they were both equally bad, showing that the Japanese didn't want to advance technologically, and wanted to stick with tradition. The Europeans, as we already know, where rapidly advancing technologically, because of their fierce rivals with each other, making Japan dislike them even more. The Europeans, who were trying to spread Christianity as well as become rich, thought that the Japanese would convert quickly, as Francis Xavier wrote in document thirteen, “They see clearly that their ancestral law is false and the law of God true, but they are deterred by fear of their prince from submitting to the Christian religion.” This caused them to dislike the leaders of Japan, and when as mentioned in document sixteen, the Closed Country Edict of 1635, this caused them to hate them, because then not only were they denied a lot of trade, but also the spreading of the cul Christianity.... ...
Society, however, is a state towards which humans have naturally evolved, and our continued existence without society is inconceivable. Thus, although determinism is argued successfully from a causal point of view, it is clearly flawed in a practical context as it fails these fundamental aspects of human life.
...that used latest of technology. They made Japan a major trade area so they could have access to other goods.
When James Watson and Francis Crick discovered the structure of DNA in 1959, they could not have known that their discovery would one day lead to the possibility of a human factory that is equipped with the capabilities to mass produce perfectly designed, immortal human beings on a laboratory assembly line. Of course, this human factory is not yet possible; genetic technology is still in its infancy, and scientists are forced to spend their days unlocking the secret of human genetics in hopes of uncovering cures for diseases, alleviating suffering, and prolonging life. In the midst of their noble work, scientists still dream of a world—a utopia—inhabited by flawless individuals who have forgotten death and never known suffering. What would become of society if such a utopia existed? How will human life be altered? Leon Kass, in Life, Liberty and the Defense of Dignity: The Challenge for Bioethics, acknowledges genetics technology’s greatness, and applauds it for its invaluable, benevolent contributions to mankind. However, Kass argues that if left to their devises and ambitions, geneticists—with the power of their technology—will steal away society’s most precious asset; genetic technology will rob society of its humanity. Genetic technology can, and will, achieve great things, but unless it is regulated and controlled, the losses will be catastrophic and the costs will far exceed the benefits.
Social stability can be the cause of problems. After reading Brave New World by Aldous Huxley, we are informed that “Bokanovsky’s Process is one of the major instruments of social stability!” Now is it worth it? Is it worth the sacrifice? Questions like those are addressed throughout the book. Huxley wants to warn us of many things, for example the birth control pill, the way that we can colon ourselves and many other things. He wanted us to know that many of the experiments that they do to the caste in Brave New World, we were later going to do investigate more ourselves or start doing them to others. We have all, at a point; come to a point to the question where we ask ourselves “is it worth it? Is it worth the sacrifice?”
After a cursory examination of present day world politics, it seems there exist no sterling examples of society's progression towards utopia, or even a higher state of tolerance or knowledge. It is not that humanity does not seek knowledge or improvement. It is not a fault that curiosity drives society's scientists to explain and improve the world beyond the realm of the philosophers. The fault lies in how easily this motive can be manipulated by the vices of greed, the propaganda of the mass media, the centuries-old, unwavering human thirst for power. It is this desire for power and profit, not the journey in creating new technologies and deducing the mechanisms of life and the universe, which becomes convoluted and thus halts the growth process, just as a biologist can halt or suspend the process of life, of dividing cells, by a simple chemical treatment of colchicine.
In 1875, Fukuzawa published An Outline of a Theory of Civilization which reflects his own theory of civilization that was influenced by two historians, Guizot and Buckle. The dominant theme of the ten chapters of the book is on the superiority of the Western civilization. Fukuzawa believed that Japan’s traditional historiography was dominated by Confucian texts, and that the teaching heavily conveyed ethical bias. This, Fukuzawa believed halted progress in Japanese civilization. He asserted that history itself could justify why the West was advanced and Japan was backward.
... Imperialism. Their responses and actions to western imperialism would set a foundation for their future destiny in a world that was rapidly changing and moving forward, and leaving the traditional world behind. Both countries shared the fear of foreign influence, China continued to go against foreign influence and ultimately got taken over by western powers after being involved in four wars. On the other hand, Japan was more open to foreign influences and used it to their advantage. As a result, Japan had more technology, gained better understanding in political and moral ideas of western civilization. On the other hand China was against the new advances and couldn’t grow their nation as quick Japan did and was ultimately left behind. During this time of progressive change, one nation seized the opportunity to change and adapt quick enough while the other didn’t.
...high power status, Japan had to have a self-reliant industrial common ground and be able to move all human and material resources (S,195). Through the Shogun Revolution of 1868, the abolition of Feudalism in 1871, the activation of the national army in 1873, and the assembly of parliament in 1889, the political system of Japan became westernized (Q,3). Local Labor and commercial assistance from the United States and Europe allowed Japan’s industry to bloom into a developed, modern, industrial nation (Q,3). As a consequence production surplus, and food shortage followed (Q,3). Because of how much it relied on aid of western powers, Japan’s strategic position became especially weak. In an attempt to break off slightly from the aid of the west Japanese leaders believed that it would be essential for Japan to expand beyond its borders to obtain necessary raw materials.