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The Cartesian Dualism is one of the best-known and most controversial theses in Descartes’s philosophy. It was so pioneering that it has directly or indirectly influenced the history of post-Cartesianism, as well as a wide range of philosophical positions from French spiritualism to the contemporary philosophy. Today, scholars who deal with mind-body problems tend to be critical of Descartes’ treatment of the subject almost without exception. Nevertheless, given that Cartesian dualism is a highly metaphysical product, researches that attempted to contextualize how it grew and developed in the horizon of academics at his time are relatively meager. This paper emphasizes that the mind-body dualism was able to settle down thanks to the achievements of medicine at the time, especially anatomy, and argues that, contrary to some of the criticisms levied against Descartes, it was the philosophical cornerstone of early modern medicine with the spread of Cartesianism. Finally, this paper arouse the necessity of so-called cartesian medical history studies.

Through more than half a century of research, from Histoire du traitement de la mélancolie (1960) to Encre de la mélancolie (2012), Jean Starobinski became a leading historian of ideas on melancholy. The purpose of this paper is to ask what the definition, history, and implications of melancholy are from Starobinski’s long conducted investigation in both medical history and literary history. The paper proceeds in the following steps. First, from Histoire du traitement de la mélancolie, the essential relationship between the phenomenon of melancholy and metaphor is extracted and defined as concealed metaphor. Then, focusing on Relation critique (1970), it examines, in the history of melancholy, the consequences of a condition of modernity: the differentiation of scientific language and poetic language. On this historical condition, melancholy serves as a mode in which modern subjectivity is devised through the various intersections of two languages. This proposition is supported by cases from both literary history and medical history. Montaigne en movement (1960) and Mélancolie au miroir (1989) are examples of literary criticism, and two medical history treatises included in Relation critique are examples of the study of scientific discourses. Finally, by suggesting the possibility of seriously treating depression memoirs as an important genre in modern society, this paper reveals one implication of Starobinski’s melancholy research and at the same time contributes a piece of evidence to his thought. The “pensée mélancolique”, which questions, by considering the problem of metaphor, the essential relationship between individual and society, mind and body, nature and civilization, is a major foundation of European consciousness from ancient times to modern times. In particular, Starobinski traces the modern aspects of this cultural paradigm by carefully examining individual cases.

Recently, there has been a diverse range of phenomenological research in medicine. However, upon closer examination of the specific content of these studies, it is possible to identify cases in which it is unclear why they are considered to be phenomenological research. This is not only a problem that derives from researchers conducting phenomenological investigations; it also occurs because phenomenology itself takes various forms. Therefore, phenomenological research in medicine seems to require two approaches. On one hand, existing research needs to be refined with more accurate methodology, and on the other hand, the various forms of phenomenology that can be applied to the field of medicine need to be continuously explored. To do this, first, phenomenology needs to be classified according to its types, and then, the ways in which this classified phenomenology can be applied to medical research need to be explored. This paper classifies French phenomenology into the Merleau-Pontyenne and non-Merleau-Pontyenne families according to Sebbah’s classification method. It explains thr characteristics and research tendencies of each family, and explores how each phenomenology can contribute to medical discussions and its continuous involvement in the field.

This article presents a historical analysis of the debate on the value-ladenness of disease in the contemporary Anglo-American philosophy of medicine, spanning the period from the 1970s to the 2000s. Numerous arguments have emerged concerning whether disease and health are value-laden (normative) or value-neutral (naturalistic) concepts. However, both the primary sources contributing to these debates and the secondary accounts summarizing them have been afflicted by a shared constraint: an absence of historical contextualization. Put differently, extant studies suffer from both external ahistoricity, wherein they fail to reveal the social backdrop influencing the debates, and internal ahistoricity, as they neglect to account for the transformations occurring within the debates themselves. By addressing these concerns, the primary objective of this article is twofold: firstly, to elucidate the social milieu in which the value-ladenness debate unfolded and to capture the evolving philosophical landscape and the changing themes and methodologies underpinning the arguments; secondly, to uncover the ahistorical nature of the existing debate as an outcome of these historical developments.

There are not many studies paying attention to the relationship between tombs of Baekje in the Asuka and Nara periods of Japan. However, when comparing Baekje’s Ungjin phase and Sabi phase ancient tombs with those of Japan in terms of structure and funeral customs, many elements are found in common. Therefore, research on the history of ancient Korea-Japan relations should shift away from the Imna Japanese annexation theory and Japanesestyle ancient tombs in the southwestern part of the Korean Peninsula to explore the process and meaning of migration and settlement associated with the Korean Peninsula.

This paper examines the cultural landscape of Jaha-dong, north of Gwanaksan Mountain, focusing on Shin Wi, the owner of Jaha-dong. The four valleys in the east, west, north, and south under the Yeonjudae of the summit of Gwanaksan Mountain were known as Jaha-dong; this paper considers Bukjadong, commonly called Jaha-dong. The humanities landscape of Jaha-dong began at the end of the 17th century when the brothers Shin Yeo-seok and Shin Yeo-cheol, of the Pyeongsan Shin Clan, managed Irodang and Ilganjeong. After their descendant Shin Wi inherited Jaha Sanjang, the place was reborn as a meaningful space around the 19th century. When he was young, Shin Wi called his friend Seo Young-bo to write poems together, and Seo Young-bo recorded the humanities landscape of Jaha-dong as beautiful prose. Along with literary works, this paper reconstructed this space by mobilizing data such as paintings by Jeong Soo-young in 1796, cadastral maps prepared in 1912, 1/50,000 maps measured in 1913, and photos taken in the 1950s or 60s. At the same time, the details and contents of the bust and monument of Shin Wi, which were created in the College of Humanities of Seoul National University, were introduced so that Jaha-dong could be remembered as a space with a humanities landscape.

The aim of this study is to explore the complex and multifaceted history of Korean and East Asian medicine by analyzing the evolution of medical narratives and cognitive practices surrounding the medical body during the Joseon (朝鮮) Dynasty (1392-1910) from a gender perspective. Rather than adopting modernist, orientalist, or West-based feminist approaches that view medicine as an autonomous field or reduce East Asian women to passive victims, this research methodology provides a critical reinterpretation of sex- and gender-related medical narratives. Using the medical body as a probing lens, this study examines the features of the narrative and its historical context to explore how medical principles and cognitive practices related to sex and gender differences have evolved over time. Significantly, these medical discourses and issues were rooted in the question of what constitutes or informs a medically healthy and ideal body. The medical bodies under scrutiny can be classified into five categories: the body of cosmogony, the body of reproduction, the body of life nourishment, the body of affectivity, and the body of individual agency. The historical transformation of these medical bodies offers a fascinating glimpse into the diverse and dynamic terrain of the history of Korean and East Asian medicine at large. This research will contribute to a deeper understanding of the nuanced and contextualized view of the history of the body, gender, practice in East Asian medicine, as well as highlight the ongoing relevance of these traditions in the contemporary world.

This paper examines the characteristics of mathematical mechanics reflected in Yisusinpyeon by Hwang Yun-seok, Leejae, who actively accepted Western natural sciences in the late Joseon Dynasty but maintained the worldview of traditional Neo-Confucianism, through cultural pluralism. This point of view is highlighted in the paper. Furthermore, while accepting Western natural science and the astronomical calendar, he maintained the NeoConfucian worldview together, and examined the aspect of integrating the moral practice theory of traditional Confucianism and the natural sciences and practical studies of Western world. Hwang Yun-seok’s Yisusinpyeon revised and reedited Seongnidaejeon, which contained the metaphysical physics and morality of Neo-Confucianism, was the result of the demand of the times following the acceptance of Western natural sciences in Joseon. Hwang Yun-seok understood the body of the metamorphic and the action of the sub-metamorphic as a whole with continuity and an organic connection. This is meant to embrace the plural aspects of the phenomenal world by seeking universal principles in the diverse changes of the particular phenomenal world. He regards the Five Elements and the Eight Trigrams as having continuity, which he tried to explain the various meanings of the number of degrees formed from the Five Elements and the Eight Trigrams through the medium of the change in nature. Hwang Yun-seok embraced cultural diversity by emphasizing understanding of the geographic characteristics of different regions of the world. The description of these geographical characteristics has implications for cultural pluralism. His Yisuyeokhak is basically oriented toward the moral goal of traditional Confucianism and Neo-Confucianism. He valued the recognition of the empirical scientific laws of the natural world as a natural basis for his moral goals. Therefore, his mathematics has the meaning of exploring empirical and practical means to achieve a moral and political ideal society. In short, the significance of Hwang Yun-seok’s academic orientation through the compilation of Yisusinpyeon can be found in that he tried to construct a consistent system by having the moral worldview of traditional Confucianism and Neo-Confucianism, modern practicality and natural science in parallel or continuity. The system of Yisusinpyeon has the purpose of actively accepting special and diverse cultures such as Western science, cultural relics, and East Asian culture based on the metaphysical natural sciences and morals of traditional Neo-Confucianism and the Yisuyeokhak of the Book of Changes, which has cultural pluralistic implications.

This paper examines Kim Eok’s “A Sleepless Night” as a Korean modern epic poem that encompasses themes of contemporaneity, communal destiny, and introspective reflections. It provides a detailed analysis of the poem’s content and semantics, shedding light on its specific aspects. “A Sleepless Night” was serialized in Donga Ilbo from December 9 to 29, 1930, under the subtitle of ‘lyrical epic poem’. The narrative revolves around themes of love, separation, wandering, hardships, and eventual reunion. Notably, the poem extensively explores the themes of ‘downfall’ and ‘wandering’ experienced by two families. The collapse of Sapo village serves as an allegory for the demise of rural areas due to the Land Survey Project and the overall situation in Joseon. The resulting ‘consciousness of loss of hometown’ triggers reflections on absence and loss. Myeong-soon’s family relocates to Manchuria with dreams of a prosperous life but faces continuous poverty and death of his parents, fading their expectations. Similarly, Young-ae experiences the disappearance of her younger brother, her father’s death, and subsequent struggles as gisaeng (korean geisha) after failed marriage. Myeong-soon symbolizes the life of a farmer in 1920s and 1930s Joseon, while Young-ae represents the life of a woman in a marginalized position due to colonialism and capitalism. These characters, as communal subjects, embody thoughts on the national destiny of Joseon during the Period of Japanese Occupation. Particularly, the experiences in Manchuria serve as a pivotal element of epic imagination, propelling contemplation on communal destiny in other modern poems.

Due to the changing geopolitical environment of Northeast Asia, the Republic of Korea has come to adopt a broader geographic approach to its foreign policy in Asia, with heightened interest in South Asia. Accompanying this has been the need to explore the historical foundations of Korea’s connections with South Asia. The narrative of Heo Hwang-ok, the Indian princess who became the Queen of Gaya, has played a central role in illustrating the deep bilateral links between Korea and South Asia. However, the Heo Hwang-ok narrative is a contested topic within the academic community, so other examples are required. This paper argues that the recently developed “Mega-Asia” approach has the potential to generate other narratives of connectivity between Korea and South Asia due to its broad analytical lens, focus on a networked Asia, and adoption of a multidisciplinary approach. Such additional narratives of connectivity, produced through the adoption of the “Mega-Asia” approach, are centered on the following: (1) the activities of Buddhist monks, who were the transnational intellectuals of their time; (2) the exchange of Indo-Pacific glass beads; and (3) the spread of Sesamum indicum, a key component of Korean cuisine, which was first domesticated on the Indian subcontinent.

With the growing interest in the pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela and the current state of research in Korea, this paper aims to provide a comprehensive exploration. It begins by introducing key aspects of medieval pilgrimage, including the medieval understanding of pilgrimage and human perception as pilgrims. Additionally, it delves into the origins of the Santiago pilgrimage and the historical development of the pilgrimage route. While previous studies have covered these areas, this paper seeks to shed light on previously unexplored aspects. Establishing the historical context, this article highlights the spirituality of charity and hospitality as depicted in Book 4 of the Codex Calixtinus, commonly referred to as the Pilgrim’s Gude. This essential source offers insights into the pilgrimage landscape during the 12th century, the heyday of the Camino de Santiago. Notably, the book repeatedly stresses the significance of extending charity and hospitality to the poor pilgrims. In today’s world, where an unprecedented number of people are displaced due to war or economic factors, this emphasis on charity and hospitality challenges the conscience of humanity. Moreover, in an era of increased mobility, the spirituality of charity and hospitality holds significant relevance. While medieval pilgrims sought divine mercy, modern pilgrims and travelers often prioritize self-discovery and personal pursuits. Therefore, the emphasis on charity and hospitality in medieval pilgrimage culture serves as a mirror through which modern pilgrims and travelers can reflect on the significance of their own journeys, inviting them to turn their gaze from themselves to people who need help.

In the late nineteenth century, the United States, Australia, and Canada launched comprehensive assimilation policies targeting indigenous children. These initiatives took shape amidst ongoing concerns with humanitarian protection. Emerging in the context of early nineteenth century AngloAmerican imperial discourse, humanitarian protectionists argued that in order to civilize indigenous peoples while protecting them from settler violence, centralized state power should reach deep into indigenous communities, reshaping every aspect of their existence from familial relations, sexuality, and communal life to everyday habits. In implementing this idea with the vastly expanded state power of the late nineteenth century, governments in all three countries sought to ‘rescue’ indigenous children from the ‘degenerative’ influence of their parents’ generation, and ultimately incorporate them into the racial and gendered order of settler society. The U.S. and Canadian assimilation policies hinged on state-run boarding schools for indigenous children, whereas the Australian policy focused on the biological absorption of “half-caste” indigenous children through adoption into white families. Despite these differences, underlying the assimilation policies of all three countries was what can be termed a new settler biopolitics, in which only the young generation of indigenous peoples, on condition that they are successfully transitioned into modern individuals, would be allowed to survive, while the older generation was categorically excluded from the settler states’ biopolitical regime and thus slated for extinction. While departing from the more rampant and conspicuous colonial violence of earlier periods, ultimately what the new state-led initiatives sought to achieve, armed with the technologies of modern governmentality, was firmly in line with settler colonialism’s ongoing drive to eliminate indigenous presence by weakening the collective resources and structural foundations of indigenous communities. In fact, by professing a concern for humanitarian protection and scientific management, the new mode of settler governmentality enabled settler states to more quietly but effectively facilitate the elimination of indigenous peoples.

Focusing on the relationship between remembering and identity, this paper analyzes the film Almanya – Willkommen in Deutschland, which deals with the identity issues of three generations of Turkish-German immigrants. The film is based on the director Yasemin Şamdereli’s own family story, who belongs to the third generation of Turkish-German immigrants. The film depicts the migration history of the Hüseyin Yilmaz family, who integrated well into German society and created new identities at a time when prejudice and bias against Turks reached their peak in German society due to the ‘Sarrazin Dispute.’ With this film in which the grandparents’ migration story is remembered anew by the grandchildren, this paper explores how the collective memory related to migration, which has existed in a vacuum in German society, is reexamined in a historical context. To this end, this paper gives an overview of the Turkish-German film history up to the third generation since Şamdereli is classified as the third generation of Turkish-German filmmakers, and based on this, the identity problem of the three generations revealed in the film is analyzed. In addition, this paper discusses that the third generation of migration can be called the generation of the postmigration who no longer has direct migration experience. Thus, this generation remembers the migration experience of the first generation in the form of postmemory.

This article begins with the internal unity theory of Kayama Ichiro, quoted by the governor as an ‘naisen-ittai’ (內鮮一體) who believes in the equation ‘Japanese Empire=Divine Nation’ in Choi In-hoon’s Voice of the Viceroy, and the direct unity theory of the “Tenno’s mind” that transcends ethnic boundaries. Subsequently, it is reviewed that Lee Kwang-soo (Mitsuro Kayama)’s Only When the True Heart Meets and Great East Asia are actually brought to mind by Kayama. A young legal scholar who actually had a close relationship with Lee Kwang-soo, and who was the model for the Japanese main character who graduated from the Faculty of Law at Gyongseong Imperial University, who appears in Only When the True Heart Meets, is mentioned. He is Lee Hang-nyeong. While examining his criticism of the direct access to the Tenno’s mind, that is, the ‘Yamato people’ as ‘Indirect Power’, he examines the theory of the symbolic Tenno after the war by Tomoo Odaka, a legal philosopher who was his teacher in the Faculty of Law. He defined the Tenno’s mind as the ‘Nomos Basileus’ as the true norm and unchanging standard of governance, and criticized the indirect power of ‘dark politics’ that used the emperor's authority behind the scenes. Subsequently, while examining the criticism of Masao Maruyama’s Indirect Power cited by Odaka for such criticism, this article analyzes his criticism of the power that controls the ‘Distance from the Tenno’ and governs the connection.

As a field of research that explores various aspects of the relationship between cinema, natural world, and nonhuman animal, ecocinema studies has been actively developed in the 21st century. As seen in the proposal of a new geological epoch called the Anthropocene, since the end of the 20th century, there has been a heightened awareness of the ecological crisis of the Earth. In line with this, a diversity of nonhuman and posthuman perspectives have been actively proposed in the humanities that aim to complement, supplement, dismantle, or transcend anthropocentrism. This tendency has also promoted a vital development of ecocinema studies in a variety of ways. As such, ecocinema studies, going beyond offering a thematic criticism of films that deal with natural environments, develops various sophisticated theoretical explorations on how films can mediate the interactions between the human and the natural environment in a nonanthropocentric way. This paper focuses on the three main theoretical trends of ecocinema theory including neuroaesthetic, speculative realist, and process-relational ontological ones and critically compares and analyzes these three. In doing so, I argue that each of the three theorizes how cinema can offer the human an ecological power to address the crisis in the Earth’s ecoystem by providing the human viewer a nonanthropocentric film experience of the world. I also argue that there are significant differences between the three trends and among the theories belonging to each trend, and that these differences depend on what philosophical position each theory adopts, how it theorizes the human viewer’s film experience, and how it examines the impact of digital and computational technologies on the anthropocentric film experience.