Kobayashi Nobuyuki

Kobayashi Nobuyuki is a Professor at Waseda University's Faculty of Letters, Arts and Sciences, specifically within the School of Culture, Media and Society. He holds a Dr. phil. degree from the University of Wuppertal in Germany. His academic career spans over three decades, having previously served as Associate Professor at Waseda University (2008-2009), and as Associate Professor and Lecturer at Kyoto City University of Arts (1990-2008).

Professor Kobayashi's research focuses on Philosophy and Aesthetics, with particular emphasis on Modern Philosophy. His scholarly work bridges Western philosophical traditions with Japanese thought, especially examining the intersections between aesthetics, phenomenology, and ethics. He is a member of numerous professional organizations including the Japan Society of Image Arts & Sciences, Japanese Society of Existential Thought, Nishida Philosophy Association, The Kyoto Philosophical Society, The Philosophical Association of Japan, The Japanese Society for Aesthetics, and Waseda University Philosophical Society.

His research output demonstrates a consistent engagement with Kant's aesthetics, Heidegger's philosophy of art, and the works of Japanese philosopher Nishida Kitaro. Kobayashi's publications explore the nature of aesthetic experience, the concept of disinterestedness, the rehabilitation of sensation, and the relationship between aesthetics and ethics. His work often examines how aesthetic experiences can serve as a bridge between subjective perception and intersubjective understanding, with particular attention to the paradoxical nature of aesthetic judgment that is simultaneously individual and claims universal validity.

Professor Kobayashi has been actively involved in numerous research projects funded by the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, including studies on the relationship between aesthetics and ethics, the experience of aisthesis and publicness, and comparative studies of aesthetics in modern Japan. His recent projects include 'A comprehensive study of the conflict and collaboration between poiesis and praxis in modern Japanese thought' (2023-2028). He has also been involved in international collaborative research projects examining Asian aesthetics and intercultural philosophical dialogue, resulting in the publication of The Journal of Asian Arts & Aesthetics.

• Principal Investigator, 'A comprehensive study of the conflict and collaboration between poiesis and praxis in modern Japanese thought' (2023-2028)
• Principal Investigator, 'The experience of aisthesis and publicness: A basic study on the correlation between ethics and aesthetics' (2017-2020)
• Principal Investigator, 'Integrated study on aesthetics and art theory in modern Japan from an intercultural perspective' (2014-2017)

At Waseda University, Professor Kobayashi teaches a variety of courses including Core Lecture 2(RE), Core Lecture 1, The World of Modern Japanese Thought, Philosophy of Culture, and Seminar on Sensibility. He also supervises graduate students through various research seminars and thesis guidance programs, fostering the next generation of scholars in philosophy and aesthetics. His academic contributions extend to editorial work and book publications, including 'Heidegger Reader' (Hosei University Press, 2014) and 'Der Raum der Stadt –Raumtheorien zwischen Architektur, Soziologie, Kunst und Philosophie in Japan und im Westen' (Jonas Verlag, 2008).