Tim Freeman will be sharing photos from a recent trip to Japan and a reflection given at a philosophy conference at the Nanzan Institute for Religion and Culture in Nagoya. The reflection focuses on a legendary story concerning a young monk Dongshan Liangje, the founder in China of what would become known in Japan as the Sōtō School of Zen. The reflection then shifts to Nietzsche’s thought and why he thought the high point of ancient Greek culture was Greek tragedy, not the philosophy of Socrates and Plato, but the art of Aeschylus and Sophocles. It is suggested that a resonance between Nietzsche’s view of Greek tragedy and Zen is the courage to face the present moment whatever it brings. This is especially relevant today as we face the ongoing crises of global conflict and ecological collapse. This reflection focuses on how we might face the challenging times we live in.
