Takeshi Umehara
When I was contacted by the Goi Peace Foundation and was told that I had been selected for the Goi Peace Award, it took me by surprise. After turning 76 and having already received the Order of Cultural Merit from the government, I thought I had had enough of honors, titles and awards, and that I should now pursue a more emancipated life. But when I saw the names of the award selection committee, they were all people whom I respect. And moreover, when I read the “Declaration for All Life on Earth,” I found it in complete alignment with my own way of thinking. Therefore, I have decided to accept this privileged award.
The Goi Peace Award is an international award, and the laureates in the past have been very well recognized scholars from other countries. Thus I am very honored and grateful to be the first Japanese person to receive this distinguished award.
I am not sure if my past career qualifies me for this award, but I pledge to do my best in the coming years, so that I will be judged as worthy of this recognition. I am determined to work hard so that my accomplishment will earn me five Goi Peace Awards!
Having received the Goi Peace Award, I have made a resolution. Up until now, I have been too modest, and was doubtful if a Japanese person could come up with a great philosophy. I have been subdued, thinking that any new philosophy could only be born in Europe. But as of today, I am determined to seriously pursue my call and mission. Let me tell you what my vision is for the future.
I believe that modern civilization has many faults and errors. It was Rene Descartes, the philosopher from the 17th Century, who determined the principles of modern civilization. He cast doubt on everything. According to his philosophy, cogito ergo sum, the cogitative or the rational self was placed in the center and in opposition to nature. Therefore, Descartes believed that by understanding nature, man could enslave nature. Natural science is the understanding of nature, and technology allows humans to utilize nature. This basic concept of science and technology has given rise to modern civilization. The development of science and technology has brought us so many riches and added convenience to our lives as we know it today.
These are the advantages of science and technology, but at the same time, through the process of modernization, much damage has been done to nature. As a result of placing absolute value on human beings in this world, people began to engage in bloodshed, and as the scale of warfare expanded, more nature was destroyed. This view of putting humans in the center, I believe, is wrong. It is wrong to place nature in a subordinate position and to take it for granted. Nature is a mother being and treating your own mother as a slave or servant is a serious mistake which modern civilization has made.
With the progression of genetic engineering, an egocentric view of humans no longer makes sense. Human beings are determined by their genes. If you look into our genes, they take us back to the origin of life. Since life originated 500 or 600 million years ago, it has evolved through various stages; fish, amphibians, reptiles, mammals, and then a form of primates developed into human beings. This long history of life, or in another word, eternity, preexists within us. I believe philosophy must be formed around this truth.
The Declaration for All Life on Earth advocated by the Goi Peace Foundation is indeed based on this view. The Earth is a living entity, and it gives birth to many other forms of life. Human beings must learn to coexist with those other living beingsc We all need to embrace a philosophy as outlined in this declaration.
For example, one can find a new worldview existing within the traditional Ainu civilization (indigenous hunting people living in northern Japan). The Ainu view the world and all forms of life as being part of an eternal cycle, in which all living beings exist in harmony with one another. I believe most indigenous peoples of the world think this way too. It is important that we all rediscover this basic philosophy, and harmonize it with modern civilization. Otherwise, there is no future for humanity. I have great determination to establish a philosophy based on such ancient and lasting wisdom, declaring my challenge against Descartes at the age of 77!