open access

https://hdl.handle.net/2115/95437

The Situations and Meaning of Individuals in Modern Society (2) : The Emergence of Ideas of Individuals and Situations of Individuals in Modern Society

日本語

hierarchy

2025-03-31

北海道大学公共政策大学院

Annals, Public Policy Studies

19

105-123

The idea that individuals are free, equal and independent emerged in the 18th Century. This idea had formed since the High Medieval Period of Europe. In the Renaissance of the 12th century, scholastic philosophers founded the dialectical method as a continuation of Aristotle's works, and began to interpret religious belief with reason. This revolutionary idea instigated the awakening of the 'self', and engendered the development of literature as relationship norms and ideas of love evolved from historic norms. Further, the rise of market economies with the revival of commerce in the 11th century, and the birth of the State, signaled an alienation from old civil society (societas civilis), and gave social momentum to the idea of individuals. Yet, we are still bound by our social relationships – the social division of labor in markets, health care and childcare supported by communities, and various hierarchical orders within society --, and individuals in modern society are not the atomistic free-willed beings that we would like to believe we are. To fully understand the meaning of 'us', the individual in modern society, we must study our relationships as individuals within our fluid social relationships.

紀要論文

Version of Record

1881-9818

AA12291642