I use [[ ]] to indicate translatorfs notes, and [ ] indicates supplements by the translator. ( ) [II, ] indicates words used in the volume two of the System of Value-Creating Pedagogy. { } indicates additions in the Philosophy of Value by Toda.
Mr. Motoyuki Takahata (1886-1928), in his book gMarxian Economyh, confesses [to the difficulty of understanding the concept of value, saying]:
gThe concept of value, such as utility value and exchange value, is the most basic in Marxian economics. Without knowledge of value, theories of Marxian economics cannot be understood absolutely.
However, understanding this concept has up to now been considered as the most difficult problem in the study of Marxian economics. It has been said that many of the readers of eDas Kapitalf first knock out their front teeth trying to overcome this obstacle.h
I think it proper to mention that the first part of this passage can entirely be applied to (the Philosophy of Value-Creation) [II, Value-Creating Pedagogy] [[The rest is omitted.]]. No one will deny that all fields of social science, including economics, pedagogy {and philosophy}, take value as the object of study.
The same holds true for the latter part of this passage. Probably, the concept of value is the most difficult problem in the study of the Philosophy of Value-Creation. With no pretensions to either learning or ability, the author of the Philosophy of Value-Creation has been sorely perplexed these ten years trying to solve this profound problem of value. The problem of value has grown in my mind as a cancer, since I ran up against this problem hard enough to make me lost not only my front but my back teeth also. Even now, I am struggling for the solution, but because of the urgent situation which allows of no further delay, as a last resort after long and desperate efforts, this book has been brought out.
Possibly, the readers of this book have also had their teeth knocked out by confronting the same obstacle as in Marxian economics. If such should be the case, when the author is Karl Marx, the responsibility for difficulty in reading is usually helplessly attributed to the readers themselves, while, in the case of this book, severe criticism may possibly be aimed only at the author.
Now, why must we struggle so obstinately with this problem? The reason is that the Philosophy of Value-Creation cannot be understood even in the slightest without correct knowledge of value, exactly as Marxian economics cannot be understood if one ignores the basic concept of value. (In order to solve this problem, we must begin with the purpose and means of the Philosophy of Value-Creation.
The purpose of the Philosophy of Value-Creation lies in enabling every individual and society to attain absolute happiness, and its means is to create values which are the elements of happiness. People are striving in day-to-day, month-to-month and year-to-year lives to realize various kinds of value, considering what kind of value they can not only obtain but also return to society---this is true aspect of human life. Therefore, to understand the Philosophy of Value-Creation is to establish a guiding principle in human life.) [II, The reason is that the human educational activity is to guide human life and that human life is in the end a process of value creation. Therefore, the educational activity should be to guide value creation.]
If we reflect on how much the society has been awakened on this point and how eagerly they are demanding that social scientists establish the guiding principle, it is possible to understand the deeper significance of the necessity for a correct solution to the problem of value. Therefore, I would like to make a perhaps unnecessary addition by way of caution, and cite the following passage.
The beginning of an essay entitled gThe Creation of Valueh, the Kyoiku Jiron (Education Review) states as follows:
gThe human dignity lies in his creation of value. A certain scholar stated that the creation of value is the highest form of human activity, and this is true. c Everyone must play his role as a human being through his own work to create value in order to meet the needs of life. c We would not like to make regretfully excuse for what has been done, but heartily wish that our educators reconsider the present educational situation and make their utmost efforts to reform teaching methods in order to educate young people so that they may become part of an active nation and can adapt themselves to so-called creation of value.h (No. (1223) [II, 1623], Kyoiku Jiron, July, 1930)
Where then is value connected with (human life) [II, education]? As has been previously mentioned, (the first and ultimate purpose of human life is happiness, and happiness is none but the attainment and creation of value.) [II, the purpose of human life, therefore, the purpose of education is happiness, and we become aware of value as the content of happiness. It may be unnecessary to repeat the idea of happiness as the purpose of education. However, I will outline the idea of happiness to make sure.]
Happiness is a state of manfs life, moreover, it expresses an ideal state for which everyone longs {whether or not he is aware of it}. Its antipode is a state of unhappiness, and there are innumerable stages in happiness. Man lives to attain the highest stage of happiness. Fortune is in many ways similar to happiness, while riches, property, honor, and social status are elements or aspects of happiness.
The word epeacef has generally been interpreted as something implying a deeper significance than happiness, but there are none who could explicitly explain it. Therefore, it may safely be said that we cannot find a word more appreciate than ehappinessf, when we say that happiness is the purpose of human life. A happy life signifies none other than the state of life where one can gain and create value in full. I would like to study and analyze the concept of value in the succeeding chapters.
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