Life philosophy of Bin Kimura

Abstract Bin Kimura, the most internationally renowned Japanese psychopathologist, developed a unique life‐theoretical position in his later years. The concept of “ aida ” or “betweenness,” which was in the social dimension in his earlier thought, came to be called “horizontal betweenness,” and the “vertical betweenness” in the vital dimension came to be emphasized. In relation to his time theory, the “intra festum,” which signifies the tendency to immerse oneself in the present, has come to be highlighted as a direct contact with life. He used many coupled concepts, such as “ mizukara / onozukara ” and “reality/actuality,” to contrast his life‐theoretical position with the scientific‐epistemological one. He was also heavily influenced by the ideas of Viktor von Weizsäcker, and superimposed his concept of “vertical betweenness” over Weizsäcker's concept of “ground relationship” by interpreting it as expressing the dependence of individual life ( bios ) on life in general ( zoé ). However, the strongest influences on his life theory were the ideas of Kitaro Nishida, the leading philosopher of the Kyoto School, with whom he had been familiar since his youth. In his last years, Kimura, under Nishida's influence, came to equate life in general with generalized death. Kimura's life philosophy might provide the foundation of psychotherapy by deepening subjective and empathetic understanding of psychiatric patients.