Carl B. Becker

Reasons for the lack of argumentation and debate in the Far East

Abstract This essay examines Chinese and Japanese attitudes towards speech communication, particularly in public settings. Social, linguistic, and philosophical perspectives are used to explain the absence of dialogue and debate. Section one argues that geodemographic factors influenced East Asia to exalt human-centered hierarchies over prepositional truth in their thought systems. Section two looks at the hieroglyphic character and grammatical presuppositions of Chinese and Japanese, to explain a mind-set more oriented towards imagery and sympathetic understanding than to definition and distinction. Section three traces the views of the leading East Asian philosophies towards oral communication—Confucianism, Taoism, Zen Buddhism, and the Ming-chia (School of names), respectively—finding yet other grounds for East Asian rejection of argumentation. This essay does not intend to imply the superiority of Western logic or thought patterns to East Asian ones. Rather, it is intended to alert a Western audience as to the culture-boundedness of Western appreciation of discussion and debate, as well as to the deep-seated Sino-Japanese prejudices against these communication styles.

Brain Death and Organ Transplantation: Cultural Bases of Medical Technology [and Comments and Reply]

Les concepts de mort cerebrale et de transplantation dorganes sont ancres dans les traditions intellectuelles occidentales, et lintroduction dune nouvelle technologie correspond a lexistence de principes philosophiques, moraux et religieux

Money Talks, Money Kills? - The Economics of Transplantation in Japan and China

Japan and China have long resisted the Western trend of organ transplantation from brain-dead patients, based on a Confucian respect for integrity of ancestors bodies. While their general publics continue to harbor grave doubts about such practices, their medical and political elites are hastening towards the road of organ-harvesting and organ-marketing, largely for economic reasons. This report illustrates the ways that economics is motivating brain-death legislation in Japan and criminal executions in China.

Report from Japan: Causes and controls of crime in Japan

This article examines recent crime trends in Japan. In 1985, an increase in crime was reported, after four decades of steady decrease. Closer analysis, however, indicated that this change was due entirely to a wave of juvenile crime and that crimes committed by persons over age twenty had, in fact, continued to decrease. The article discusses societal pressures that could be contributing to juvenile crime and developments that may help curb it.

Higher education in Japan: Facts and implications

Abstract In recent years, Japanese educational exchange with the West is rapidly proliferating. In addition to the thousands of foreign students on private and public funds, Japanese and Western universities are now seeking cooperative research arrangements and students and faculty exchanges. However, many educators in the West are unaware of fundamental differences in Japanese higher education which make exchange and cooperation less simple than it sounds. This article, from the perspective of a bilingual scholar with 10 years experience in Japanese universities, provides an introduction to some of the major features of the Japanese system and notes some possible implications for international exchange.

What Behavioral and Psychological Symptoms of Dementia Affect Caregiver Burnout

ABSTRACT Objectives: Patients’ irritability and aggression have been linked to caregiver depression, but the behaviors that most burden caregivers are not yet definitively identified. This study examines the connection between behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) and the burnout of caregivers caring for home-dwelling elders with dementia symptoms in Japan. Methods: 80 Japanese rural and urban family caregivers completed detailed questionnaires about their experiences in caring for demented family members. We statistically analyzed the results for correlations between types of dementia, Pines Burnout, and Caregiver Distress. Results: BPSD symptom severity significantly correlated with caregiver distress. The dementia symptoms most strongly correlated with caregiver burnout were: aggression, irritability, abnormal motor behavior, and hallucinations. Conclusions: Among the commonest symptoms, apathy, anxiety, and depression did not seriously aggravate caregiver burnout. Caregivers displayed higher burnout facing agitation/aggression, irritability, aberrant motor behavior, and hallucinations. Caregivers’ reported distress was surprisingly dissimilar to their burnout scores; patients’ delusions and anxiety led to higher distress reporting but not to burnout. Clinical Implications: Advance diagnosis of BPSD symptoms should be helpful to support nurses and caregivers of dementia patients. Particular support should be considered for caregivers and nurses of patients expressing aggression, irritability, abnormal motor behavior, and hallucination.

Over my dead body there is an ideal utopia: Comments on Kellehear's paper

Allan Kellehears near-death experiencers (NDErs) report perceiving a utopia beyond death. I examine the logical implications and philosophical possibilities of such a realm, and come to three conclusions. First, the realms described by NDErs, if taken at face value, are far from utopian, rather resembling travelers romances with exotic lands. Second, any truly utopian postmortem society is so far removed from our present world as to be morally irrelevant to our own. And third, only an ideational postmortem utopia, of the sort exemplified by Pure Land Buddhist theology, can avoid both the non-utopian nature of NDErs descriptions and the irrelevance of postmortem utopias.

Religious healing in 19th century ‘new religions’: The cases of Tenrikyo and christian science

Abstract Religious healing has played a major role in the origin and growth of new indigenous religious movements in both Japan and America. The plethora of new religious movements can be traced in both instances to the 19th century. Japans Tenrikyo movement and Americas Christian Science movement provide two fascinating case studies of the experience of religious healing in recent times. Both have grown into international religious movements claiming millions of adherents. Both have spawned a number of branch movements which follow essentially the same practices as the parent groups, but which have splintered off for political or doctrinal reasons. Both are very evident in the political and economic fabrics of their respective societies. Most important for the purposes of this paper, both began with remarkable healing experiences, and continue to treat healing at the heart of their theologies. This paper will compare these religions on a number of counts, concluding with some observations more applicable to religious healing in general. These healing religions lend themselves to ready comparison along the lines of their respective social histories, theologies and healing techniques. By a comparison of their differences of style and content, we may also suggest some preliminary conclusions about the nature of religious healing and its connection to religious doctrine.

Timing and facilitation of advanced directives in Japan

OBJECTIVESnThis study aimed to reveal Japanese elders perspective on optimal timing and method of receiving unified guidance about advance directives (AD).nnnMETHODSnWe convened 202 elders (average age 66) to learn about end-of-life at Kyoto University. They listened to a presentation and viewed two videos on advance care planning and AD; then 167 completed detailed questionnaires about unified timing and methods of providing such information.nnnRESULTSnA majority of Japanese elders (79%) agreed with unified guidance in combination with the issue of health insurance cards at age 65 or 75. The most preferred method for receiving information was video presentation.nnnCONCLUSIONSnJapanese elders appear to welcome the idea of receiving information about AD when they are issued health insurance cards at age 65 or 75. Use of video materials holds great promise for educating elderly Japanese about their choices on AD.

Social Ethics in East Asia

Cultural and ethical differences between Western and East Asian standards must be considered in order to make the International Conference for Harmonization (ICH) work. This paper covers six broad ethical rules of East Asian society, implications for the ICH process, and concerns that still need to be addressed in the ICH guideline.