The Meaning of "Kakkoii" – How Words Influence People's Feelings & Lifestyles (Tomoaki Haruki)

Words reflect the era. Therefore, to understand the common awareness of a particular age, we should pay attention to how words are used. However, what about sensitivity? Is there a common way of feeling shared by people of a particular time?

For example, when one feels that something is “beautiful,” would others also feel it is “beautiful”? On one hand, we expect empathy. On the other hand, we take pride in our unique feelings. Can we even express the beauty we perceive with the word “beautiful”? The study of such conflicts in sensitivity is what is addressed in the field called “aesthetics.”

In this context, we spoke with Tomoaki Haruki, an expert in aesthetics, about the relationship between words that express sensitivity and our daily lives and existence.

What is the field of “aesthetics” that you specialize in?

“Aesthetics” is a branch of philosophy. In the West, it has been a quest since ancient times to explore “What does it mean to be human?” Regardless of the various answers, one characteristic consistently viewed as inherent to humans up to the present has been the ability to think based on logic (words). In contrast, the ability to feel (sensitivity) was regarded up until the medieval period as a capacity that undermined human value and was to be excluded. However, as we moved towards modernity, the significance of sensitivity for humans was reassessed.