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This essay is comprised of 6 chapters.
(1)The remains of Isidore Marie Francois Xavier Auguste Comte(1798～1857),founder of positivism, in France. (2)Nishi Amane(西周), discoverer of A.Comte. (3)A.Comte as appeared in literature in Japan. (4)The list of literature on A.Comte cited in this paper. (5)"Shakai gakuto"(社会学徒), a monthly magazine, and A.Comte. (6)The general view of the fortune of A.Comte in Japan. (7)The summary in English.This paper considers A.Comte, French mathematician and philosopher, founder of positivism in Japan.
His positive philosophy was first introduced into Japan by Nishi Amane(1829～97), a bureaucratic scholar in the Meiji era(i.e.1870s～1890s). Apart from Dutch, he had some knowledge of both English and French. Nishi studied social sciences in Holland at government expence in the last days of the Shogunate. While in Holland, since he couldn't take things easy, he studied only the essentials of law, economics and statistics for some two years under Prof. Vissering at Leiden university. Nishi also had cherished a desire to study "Wijsbegeerte"(i.e. philosophy) before leaving for the West. During his stay in the country, he happened to know Cornelis Willem Opzoomer(1821～92), a famous Dutch philosopher and Comtist, through his writings. This led Nishi to know about Comtism.After returning home, Nishi was engaged in the enlightening movement, teaching Western learning to his students at his private school in Tokyo. Nishi's knowledge about Comte's ideas became deeper reading "The Biographical History of Philosophy, from the origin in Greece down to present day, 1857, by George Henry Lewes(1817～78).
Though I believe that Nishi lacked full understanding of the book, his lecture reveals something of Comte's philosophy. At any rate Nishi was the first Japanese who taught Comtism partially to his students in the early days of Meiji (i.e.1870s). Nishi first referred to Comte's name and his ideas in the article of "Jinsei sanposetsu"(人生三宝説), the law of mental evolution, which appeared in the "Meirokuzasshi"（明六雑誌)(No.38,June,1870), a magazine and two year later he published an abridged translation entitled "Rigaku"(利学), "Utilitarianism" by John Stuart Mill, in May 1877, where the name of Comte and his positivism were mentioned again in the book.In the early years of the Meiji Era(i.e.1870s～1880s), Comte was not fully discussed or criticized either in the magazines or special purpose books. He was however mentioned in fragments of words in the various magazines, technical books, and dictionaries. In the 20 and 30 years of the Meiji Era(i.e.1887～1906), the study of sociology in Japan advanced considerably, disclosing the true impact of positive philosophy. Shibue Tamotsu (渋江保) first published a book titled "Shakaigaku"(i.e. sociology) in Japan, referring to Comte as a forerunner of sociology. Anyone who studied Western philosophy or sociology then knew about A.Comte, while he also enjoyed popularity among the general public.Takebe Tongo(建部遯吾), a famous Japanese sociologist and professor at Tokyo Imperial University, was a devoted adherent to Comte's sociological theories, advancing his own theories based on the Comte Doctrine.
Prof. Takebe, a bombastic braggart, reigned over the sociology course till he resign his post in 1922. He saw Comte as a star in the academic circles, idolizing him as Plato and Confucius. He was helpful promulgating Comtism.In the 40 years of the Meiji Era(i.e.1907～1912), Comte was discussed in the technical books of sociology. He was regarded as an exponent of social phenomena, an organizer of sociology, the founder of "the religion of Humanity". About this time, Kobayashi Kaoru(小林郁) published "Comte", in October,1909. This was the first separate volume on, A.Comte ever published in Japan. Towards the end of the Meiji Era, Comte's positivism and his writings became clear among the scholars.In the Taisho period(i.e.1912～1926), Comte was often alluded to in the magazines or technical books of philosophy or sociology. The common characteristics seen there are of similar description. One of the most notable events regarding A.Comte in the period was "Positive Philosophy of Auguste Comte" by J.S.Mill which was translated by Hatano Kanae and Kono Mitsu and published from Jiritsusha(而立社) in Tokyo in July, 1921.From the Showa till the early Heisei period(i.e.1926～2001), Comte has been often discussed in the technical books of philosophy and sociology or in different dictionaries. The man and his theories were pretty well known to the scholars and we notice similar descriptions.Early in Showa(i.e.1920s～1930s), Asano Kenshin(浅野研真), a specialist of Buddhistic sociology, was occupied with writing small papers on A.Comte and collecting literature on him while in Paris. By the 10th year of the Showa(i.e.1935), sociology in Japan finished its assimilation and scholars started systematizing of their own theories. In the same year, three books on A.Comte were published following one another.
The authors and the title of the book are as follows:Shinmei Masamichi : Auguste Come, Sanseido, Tokyo, 1935.Tanabe Juri : Positive Philosophy of Auguste Comte, Iwanami shoten, Tokyo, 1935.Honda Kiyoji : A Study of Auguste Comte, his life and theories, Shiba Shoten, Tokyo, 1935.Shinmei discussed critically Comte's philosophical ideas in his book. Tanabe criticized severely the relations between French thought and A.Comte. Honda showed very distinguished skill describing Comte's total personality, based on a wide range of materials. These three books were major publications in the prewar days.After the world War Ⅱ, sociology in Japan underwent a totally new change. Though German and French sociology were two dominant schools in the prewar Japan, its trend was to follow American sociology after the war. Up to then the general tendency of sociology in Japan has been to value theories more than the reality. And yet scholars began to watch social investigation in the U.S with keen interest. This led them to change their attitude towards sociology, resulting in realistic approach to society.Daido Yasujiro published "The Current of American Sociology, Comte and Spencer in the States", Kobundo, Tokyo,in 1957. Prof. Baba Akio at Nippon University issued "A Short History of Sociology", Eruga, Tokyo, in 1966. He described A.Comte in Japan from the Meiji era to up until the prewar times. I would say "Comte, Spencer" published by Chuokoron, Tokyo, in 1970, has contributed a great deal to popularize A.comte, the man and his ideas, among the Japanese. In the book the sociologist and critic, Shimizu Ikutaro,(1970～88), wrote a minute introduction and Kiryu Kazuo translated Comte's early essays into Japanese.Though some 140 years have passed, only a small number of people were influenced by A.Comte. Prof. Takebe Tongo systematized his own sociology by combining Comte's philosophical ideas with those of Confucius. Thanks are due to the university libraries of Waseda, Senshu, Hosei, Nippon, Tokyo, and also to the National Diet Library,the Comte House in Paris.
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