Value, Meaning, and the Shape of a Life

What makes something valuable?
How do norms, ideals, and social expectations shape our judgments and actions?
How do people make sense of their lives in the face of conflict, loss, regret, and hope?

This course introduces philosophical reflection on value, meaning, and normativity as they arise in human life. Rather than treating values as abstract objects or fixed rules, we will examine how practices of evaluation are embedded in action, social life, and self-understanding. Particular attention will be paid to how character is formed and assessed, how social norms and relations with others shape responsibility and recognition, and how perception and attention influence what matters to us.

The course explores how values are expressed, challenged, and revised over time, and how individuals make sense of their lives through patterns of action, response, and reflection. Drawing on examples from personal life, shared practices, and everyday decision-making, students will encounter influential ideas from twentieth- and twenty-first-century philosophy that continue to shape contemporary debates about value, meaning, responsibility, and transformation.

No prior knowledge of philosophy is assumed. Lectures will use PowerPoint. Each class will consist of approximately 60 minutes of lecture followed by group discussion and the use of a shared document to facilitate interaction. Active participation during the lectures is encouraged.

By the end of this course, students will be able to:

Understand central philosophical questions about value, normativity, and meaning

Distinguish different kinds of value, reasons, and norms that structure human life

Reflect critically on concepts such as justice, character, regret, hope, and responsibility

Develop skills in philosophical reasoning, interpretation, and discussion

Apply philosophical ideas about value and meaning to concrete examples from everyday life

1-2. Introduction: Value and normativity
What is value?
Norms, evaluation, and justification

3-4. Reasons and ideals
Different kinds of reasons
Ideals and forms of life

5-6. Character and the evaluation of a life
Character, commitment, and responsibility
Evaluating actions and evaluating lives

7-8. Social norms, responsibility, and recognition
Norms, expectations, and social practices
Responsibility, blame, and recognition

9-10. Vision and attention
Seeing, noticing, and salience
The role of attention in ethical life

11-12. Meaning, regret, and hope
Making sense of things
Orientations towards the past and the future

13-14. Change, conflict, and transformation
Value conflict and tragedy
Revision, loss, and growth

15. Feedback class

A good level of English comprehension (listening, reading and writing) is recommended for this course. No previous knowledge of philosophy is presumed, though familiarity with the background concepts of the discipline will be an advantage. All texts will be provided in advance.

Students will be expected to write a short reflection after each class. These will be worth a total of 60% of the grade. The final 40% will be determined by a short essay submitted online at the end of the semester.

Texts to be read for class will be uploaded to LMS in advance. Each week students should expect to read a small amount of philosophy in English.

Communication via email and LMS. Instructors office hours to be found on KULASIS or by enquiry.

This course will introduce students to the social history of technology in modern Japan from 1945 to the early 21st century. Special attention will be paid to the problem of connecting technology to issues of labor, gender, and the environment. Along the way, the course provides an overview of several approaches to science and technology studies (STS).

Greater appreciation for key themes in the history of technology in modern Japan, as well as familiarity with some recent research trends.

1 Introduction
2 Approaching the Course
3-4 Technology in Postwar Japan (1945-1950s)
5-7 High Growth and Technological Dilemmas (1950s-1970s)
8-10 Creating Post-Industrial Japan (1970s-1990s)
11-13 Challenges in the New Millennium (1990-2000s)
14 Conclusion
15 Feedback

特になし

Evaluation will be based on a midterm and a final written exam (40%+60%). Students absent from more than four classes may not be able to pass the course.

Preparation consists of weekly readings, including research articles and historical sources.

私たちはしばしば、美術作品を「読む」という言い方をする。美術作品が「見る」のみならず「読む」対象となりうるのは、何故だろうか。作品を「読む」こと。それは、作品の情報を収集し、整理し、再構成しながら、作品の遍歴と物語を辿る作業である。
制作者、技法、寸法や制作年にはじまり、収蔵先、所蔵者および展示の履歴、修復記録など作品に関連する情報は無数に存在する。これらの情報は、時に、肉眼では見ることのできない在り方で私たちの前に立ち現れることがある。本授業では、主に保存修復学的な手法を用いてさまざまな西洋美術作品（主に絵画）の歴史を読み解き、作品の内外に紐づけられている情報の鉱脈を探り、解釈を重ねることを試みる。

1．芸術学特有の基本的な用語や考え方を理解する
2．作品に親しみ、名称、作者、時代、表現の特徴や影響関係について理解し、知識を深める
3．1と2を踏まえて、それぞれの作品及び作者の個性や、時代、社会との関わりなどについて考え、自らの言葉で説明することができる力を身につける
4．情報の収集の仕方、また、確実な情報に基づく調査研究の方法を学び、自らの考えを論理的に組み立てる方法を実践的に身につける

第1回：イントロダクション
第2回：ヨハネス・フェルメールの下層──キューピッドの再登場
第3回：パブロ・ピカソと主題の変更──支持体のリサイクル
第4回：ジョルジュ・ルオーと制作のプロセス──作品はいつ「完成」するのか？
第5回：ディエゴ・ベラスケスとヴァンダリズム──切り裂きと塩酸
第6回：レンブラント・ファン・レイン作品の再創造──AIの自画像
第7回：クロード・モネと半壊した画布──返却された絵画の修復
第8回：フランシスコ・デ・ゴヤの下層──「黒い絵」シリーズをめぐって
第9回： ヴィンセント・ファン・ゴッホと遠近法──定められたイメージを超えて
第10回： ウィリアム・ターナーとジョン・コンスタブル──裏面の記述
第11回：レオナール・フジタの乳白色──レシピの再現
第12回：エドヴァルド・ムンクの作品保管法──損傷の予知
第13回：ピエト・モンドリアン──構図の変更
第14回：ゲルハルト・リヒターの写真と描画──作品の制作過程を考える
第15回：フィードバック

特になし

成績は平常点５０％（毎回授業後のコメントシートの提出）、学期末レポート５０％で評価する。

授業中に指示します

授業前後の時間に対応します。
個別の連絡手段（メールアドレスなど）は初回の授業の際に伝えますので、必ず出席をお願いします。

In today’s global community, how should a person conceptually prepare herself to be an effective “intercultural” communicator? Inconceivable even a decade ago, this era has witnessed tremendous transnational cultural flows -- of people, practices and products -- as well as local cultural complexities. Each not only encounters her own cultural intricacy, but also needs to effectively operate in culturally-complex contexts -- no matter in the cyber or physical spaces. These contexts range from the home and neighborhood; to places of work, worship and recreation; and to regions and the world.

For this academic year, the guiding concept for both Intercultural Communication I and II will be “cultural fluency.” The two courses will be based on the second edition of my Thai book: "Light, Water and Rice Stalk: Cultural Fluency for Alterity" (2020). There are four sets of topics, the first two of which will be explored in Intercultural Communication I, and the latter two in this course:

Part 1. “Cultural Fluency,” Difference and Voice
Part 2. Basic Elements of “Cultural Fluency”: AHA
Part 3. Listen to Others, Listen to Otherness
Part 4. Light, Rice Stalk and Cultural Fluency

The two courses explore concepts, theories and events as well as employ sounds (melodic or not) and images (moving or otherwise) -- as pedagogical tools -- to deepen students’ understanding of effective "intercultural communication."

Since these two courses are predominantly conceptual/theoretical, they aim to enable students to develop a set of conceptual abilities to think through processes of “intercultural communication.” Students will, therefore, be doing a large amount of reading, discussing, and finally writing. (Note: All the readings can be accessed through LMS.)

Week 1:
- Introduction and Course Queries

Part 3. Listen to Others, Listen to Otherness

Part 3.1. A Child, Death and A Mother

Week 2:
- A Child, Death and A Mother

Part 3.2. Water & Becoming

Week 3:
- The Daodejing
Week 4:
- Smooth Space & On Influence-1
Week 5:
- Smooth Space & On Influence-2
Week 6:
- 1st Quiz and Review
Week 7:
- “Before the Law”
Week 8:
- Future, Justice and Fluency
Week 9:
- Speech & Trauma
Week 10:
- 2nd Quiz and Review

Part 3.3. Memory, Hearing and Listening

Week 11:
- Soundscape
Week 12:
- Listening
Week 13:
- Memory, Otherness and Violence
Week 14:
- 3rd Quiz and Review


Part 4. Light, Rice Stalk and Cultural Fluency

Week15:
- Feedback Session
- Course Summary: Light, Rice Stalk and Cultural Fluency

1) Good level of English language ( TOEFL ITP score ≧525) is required (the full score is 677). (For more information on how to convert the score, among others, see: https://theedge.com.hk/conversion-table-for-toefl-ibt-pbt-cbt-tests/)

2) Comparatively speaking, this course is both reading-intensive and writing-intensive. Thus, any students who plan to take too many courses in this semester will have a hard time fulfilling this course’s requirements.

3 Quizzes

Week 6: 30%
Week 10: 30%
Week 14: 40%

Notes: Since this course is predominantly conceptual, students will be expected to demonstrate their conceptual understanding. The quizzes’ questions will ask students to: a) define some of this course’s key terms; b) apply those terms to analyze certain social realities in light of the course’s overall theme -- i.e., “cultural fluency”. Throughout the semester, therefore, each student must ensure that s/he will adequately have a good conceptual grasp of those key terms.

Students will study each week's prepared PowerPoint slides as well as reading assignments before class time in order to effectively engage in class discussion.

Consultations can be arranged as needed.

The topic of this course is "Narrative Art in Ancient China," and it focuses on artistic productions with narrative content. In other words, it will explore works of art that illustrate stories. These stories may originate from religious backgrounds or be derived from legends, myths, or literature. As we trace the historical evolution of Chinese art, we will examine various forms of narrative art and the diverse methods employed by artists to convey notions of time and space. These methods may vary based on factors such as cultural background, aesthetic preferences, and the intended function of the art objects, among others.

The course aims to enable students to develop art historical skills for identifying subjects and content in ancient Chinese art while fostering a broader understanding of the artistic production process within the historical and cultural context of the period under examination.

1. General introduction to the course
2. Modes of narration in art (I)
3. Modes of narration in art (II)
4. Time and space in Chinese art
5. Chinese visual narratives (I): Mythological stories
6. Chinese visual narratives (II): Historical narratives
7. Chinese visual narratives (III): Didactic stories and exemplar biographies
8. Chinese visual narratives (IV): Poetic narratives
9+10. Museum visit (equivalent to two classes and scheduled for a weekend day in late November or early December)
11. Buddhist narratives (I): Jataka and avadana stories (previous lives of the Buddha)
12. Buddhist narratives (II): Buddha's life stories
13. Buddhist narratives (III): Buddha’s life stories
14. Summary of the course
≪Final examination≫
15. Feedback (upon request)

No special prerequisites. A general knowledge on the history of China, although not compulsory, is recommended.

Attendance and participation are required for unites 2-13.
Evaluation is determined by the following components:
Preparation and participation in class activities, as well as active engagement in class discussions (30%); Participation in the museum excursion and related activities, including the submission of a short report (20%); Performance on the final exam (50%).

Students will be provided with the relevant literature of the topic taught for reviewing the lessons.
Class activities may necessitate prior preparation or subsequent follow-up, often including small research assignments or readings for in-class discussion.
As part of the course, there is an excursion for a museum visit, typically scheduled on a weekend day in November or December (either a Sunday or a Saturday, depending on the museum). This excursion usually takes about 2 to 3 hours, and the exact date will be announced in class. Please note that this excursion is equivalent to two class sessions and entails the submission of a short report.
Final exam preparation is based on provided materials and class notes.

Receiving hours for students: by appointment.
Students participating in the museum visit should have the "Personal Accident Insurance for Students Pursuing Education and Research" (学生教育研究災害傷害保険) coverage. For the museum visit, students are responsible for their transportation expenses.

民俗学とは、人間の「せつなさ」と「しょうもなさ」に寄り添う学問ではないかと思う。普通の人々が日々の暮らしのなかから創り上げ、承け伝えてきたコトバ、モノ、ワザといった営みの総体、そしてその結果として存在する「私たち自身」を「民俗資料」と名付け、そこから、文字資料には決して書き残されることのなかった普通の人々の歴史を探ることを試みる学問である。本講義は、民俗学の目的と方法を学史的に概略した上で、人生儀礼、信仰行事、口頭伝承、等々の個別分野を論じる予定である。

民俗学の基本的な考え方を理解し、聞き書きなどの初歩的な実践方法を習得することを目指す。

　１．使用上の注意　　　　　　　　　　
　２．民俗学の歴史　　　　　　　　　
　３．民俗学の方法　　　　　　　　　　
　４．そだつ—人生儀礼—　　　　　　　
　５．めとる—婚姻—　　　　　　　　　
　６．とむらう—葬送—
　７．期末レポート作成の注意１
　８．いのる—信仰—
　９．まつる—年中行事—
１０．おどる—民俗芸能—
１１．期末レポート作成の注意２
１２．つたえる—口頭伝承１—
１３．なづける—口頭伝承２—
１４．ものがたる—口頭伝承３—
１５．まとめ（フィードバック）

衣食住、経済生活、社会組織を扱う「民俗学Ⅰ」は前期に開講する。

授業中に課すミニ・レポート（40点）および「聞き書き」を課題とする期末レポート（60点）によって評価する。詳細は講義中に指示する。

・履修前には、十数年分の「人生経験」があればよい。
・授業後に、講義内容に関連して各自の生活体験を報告する「ミニ・レポート」が課される。「簡単に済ませようと思う」なら10分とかからず作成可能である。
・期末レポートでは初歩的な「聞き書き」が課される。これも「簡単に済ませようと思う」なら１時間程度の調査と半日程度の文章作成で可能である。
・もちろん、「簡単に済ませようと思わない」ならこの限りではない。そして学問とは、むしろそのような営みであるはずだ。

知的好奇心の旺盛な受講生を歓迎する。また、民俗学に限ったことではないが、学問を学ぶ以上、「事実と論理」の前にひざまづく覚悟が肝要である。

This class will focus on non-human primates (prosimians, monkeys, apes) and why they are of particular interest to biologists, anthropologists, and psychologists. Students will learn about the distribution of primates, their socio-ecological strategies, social systems, cognitive abilities and welfare. Observational and experimental investigations of these and related phenomena will be reviewed and analyzed. The aim is to investigate the ecological and psychological status of primates in today's world. The course also aims to provide students with the opportunity to communicate about primates in English.

The class aims to help students acquire knowledge about the evolution of primates - their structure, social and nonsocial behaviour, and how they adapt to changing environmental circumstances, and to use written and spoken English to express their knowledge.

1. Introduction to Primate Behaviour and Cognition
2. Primate Diversity
3. Primate Habitats
4. Primate Diet and Feeding Adaptations
5. Early Influential Primate Studies I
6. Early Influential Primate Studies II
7. Early Influential Primate Studies III
8. Mid-term Test and Review
9. Primate Communication I: Visual and Tactile
10. Primate Communication II: Olfactory and Auditory
11. Primate Social Behaviour I: Social Organization
12. Primate Social Behaviour II: Dominance Hierarchies
13. Primate Intelligence
14. Primate Welfare
15. Course Feedback

Please note that the order and content of specific classes may change.

特になし

Assessment will be based on two components as follows:

1) A mid-term test consisting of 25 multiple-choice questions (each worth 1%) and five short-answer questions written in the students' own words (each worth 5%) (Total: 50%)

2) A final exam consisting of 25 multiple-choice questions (each worth 1%) and five short-answer questions written in the students' own words (each worth 5%) (Total: 50%)

Students are expected to review the lecture handouts after each class, and to consult other sources (books, journals, appropriate websites).

Work is a central institution in modern capitalist societies, and sociology plays a key role in its analysis. In this lecture, students will engage with core theories, case studies, and international comparisons of labor markets and industries. Topics include the historical development of industrial societies, contemporary postindustrial labor institutions, the specific features of the Japanese labor market, the sociopolitical construction of various markets, and welfare regimes in different countries. By the end of the course, students will acquire a solid understanding of important sociological theories of work, while also gaining insight into the evolution of capitalist societies from the 19th century to the present.

The course aims at understanding the basics of sociology of work, so that students develop a critical sense about the functioning and the social functions of this institution. Students will therefore acquire knowledge on several approaches and theories dealing with the role of work in our modern capitalist societies. Several case studies will also be introduced to illustrate these approaches.

Week 1. Introduction
Week 2. Theories of Work and Organizations
Week 3. Taylorism, Fordism, and the Industrial Society
Week 4. The Sociopolitical Construction of Markets
Week 5. Firms and Corporations
Week 6. The Emergence of Service Industries (1)
Week 7. The Emergence of Service Industries (2)
Week 8. Review Class
Week 9. The EU Single Market and Labor Issues
Week 10. Labor & Industrial Relations in Japan (1)
Week 11. Labor & Industrial Relations in Japan (2)
Week 12. The Dual Labor Market (1)
Week 13. The Dual Labor Market (2)
Week 14. Conclusions

The lectures will be delivered in English. No prior coursework is required to take this course; however, a basic understanding of sociology is recommended.

Final report (70%), class attendance (30%)

Students are required to complete preparation for each lesson on a weekly basis.

Students should email the teacher to make an appointment.

本授業では、地図や地理情報についての様々な種類、使用、社会での受容や影響を学ぶとともに、地図や地理情報に関する入門的な手法を演習する。これを通じて、地理学の研究遂行に必要な地図・地理情報に関する知識や地図作成の基礎的スキルを習得することを目標とする。

地理学的研究における地図・地理情報の視点や研究動向を理解する。
地図や地理情報を用いた地理学的分析手法の基礎を習得する。

受講生の人数や進度に応じて、回数や順番を変更する場合がある。
学習・作成した地図を携えたショートフィールドワークを行う（土日、大学周辺〜京都市内、後期の間に1〜2回）。

第1回　ガイダンス：地図と地理情報
第2〜8回　様々な地図の利用
近代以降の地図、社会や学問における地図、手描き地図・メンタルマップ、生活活動の時空間描画（時間地理学）、クリティカルGISといったテーマについて、文献の輪読や作成演習をもとに学ぶ。
第7〜14回　地理情報システム
WebGIS、GISの基本操作、地理空間情報の取得、統計地図の作成と注意点、アドレスマッチング、ジオリファレンス、フィールドワークによるデータ取得と表現といったテーマについて実習し、 受講生による発表とディスカッションを行う。
第15回　フィードバック

特になし

平常点100％（実習への参加と課題提出40％、プレゼンテーション40％、グループワークまたはディスカッションへの参加状況20%）

事前学修：輪読回には、課題文献を読んで内容や論点、疑問点を整理しておく。実習回では、事前に配布した資料を読んでおく。準備課題がある場合にはそれを作成する。
事後学修：輪読回では授業内容を振り返って論点や疑問点に関する関連情報を調べる。実習回では、配布資料をもとに復習し課題（小レポート等）を提出する。

実習指導および質疑応答に適切に対応するため、上限を15名とする。とくに履修を希望する学生には事前課題による「教員推薦」を行う予定。
この授業のなかでは、無料のGISソフトを用いたパソコンでの実習を行う（Windows環境を想定）。
実習・演習形式のため、毎回の課題作成と提出が必要になる。

生成AIの使用制限: 課題や評価に関わる成果物のいかなる部分も、生成AIによって生成、作成、製作してはなりません。提出が求められるすべての課題は学生自身が作成したものでなければならず、生成 AI を使用して評価に使用される課題や成果物を作成することは厳格に禁止されています。ただし、自らの学習を補助するために、概念の探究を行うこと、説明を受けること、内容を翻訳すること、については、生成AIを使用することができます。使用する場合には、「京都大学の教育・学修におけるAIの利用について」のガイドラインを遵守し、誤情報やバイアス等のリスクが含まれることを念頭におき、根拠資料・一次情報の確認をすること。

This course is an introductory undergraduate course that teaches the fundamentals of macroeconomics and application of economics concepts. It provides a solid foundation for macroeconomic analysis and thinking that can last throughout their education and subsequent professional careers.

After completing this course, students should have developed a range of skills enabling them to understand economic concepts and use those concepts to analyze specific questions.
By the end of this course, students should be able to understand economic growth, recession/booms, un-/employment, de-/inflation, and the financial system.

Course Description:
This course begins with an introduction to the key principles of economics and the basic forces that determine an equilibrium in a market economy. Next, it introduces a framework to lear about gains from trade and comparative advantage. We then turn our attention to specific macroeconomic problems such as economic growth, saving and investment, unemployment, inflation, the monetary system, and conclude with a concept of macroeonomics in an open economy. The final section of the course provides an opportunity of independent learning. It helps students to deeply understand basic tools of macroeconomics and the way to apply them to real world economic policy.

Content Outline:
1. What is Economics
2. Economic Methods and Questions
3. Choice in the World of Scarcity
4. Economic Growth
5. Investment and Saving
6. Unemployment
7. Inflation
8. The Monetary System
9. Open-Economy Macroeconomics I
10. Open-Economy Macroeconomics II
11. Aggregate Demand and aggregate Supply
12. Monetary and Fiscal Policy
13. Students’ Conference on Selected Macroeconomic Topics (I)
14. Students’ Conference on Selected Macroeconomic Topics (II)
15. Feedback

Course Methodology:
The course will use primarily interactive lectures and case studies to help students develop knowledge of “real world” economics. Quizzes will be spread out over the term of the course. The last three lectures will be accompanied by group presentation, all students are required to participate. Group will be required to select a research topic from a list of topics presented by the instructor.

特になし

Quizzes (6/10); Presentations (4/10);

- Prepare and review class contents (textbook).
- Complete and submit all assignments, and take quizzes by the assigned due dates.

to be announced