Levinas and Shohei Ohtani: The "Reason of Athens" vs. The "Body of Jerusalem"

Introduction: Why Does Shohei Ohtani "Resonate" So Deeply?

The frenzy surrounding Shohei Ohtani in the United States seems to transcend the mere dimension of "being a great baseball player." Of course, his performance is the greatest in the history of the sport. However, that is merely a necessary condition, not a sufficient one. The reason he touches the deepest parts of the souls of Americans—and indeed, people all over the world—lies in his very "Mode of Existence" (Way of Being).

To decipher this phenomenon, I would like to draw a somewhat unexpected auxiliary line: Emmanuel Levinas. He was a French philosopher of Jewish descent, born in Lithuania. By borrowing his philosophical perspective—specifically the contrast between "Athens" (Western Reason) and "Jerusalem" (Hebraic Tradition)—we can begin to see the true nature of why Shohei Ohtani shakes the modern soul to its core.

Levinas's Perspective: The "Knowledge" of Athens and the "Deed" of Jerusalem

Levinas, while situated within the lineage of phenomenology, attempted to critically overcome the "Ontology" of his mentor, Heidegger. While Heidegger asked, "What is Being?", Levinas argued that "Responsibility to the Other" comes first (Ethics as First Philosophy).

Crucial here is the contrast he draws between two modes of thinking: "Athens" and "Jerusalem."

• Athens (Western Reason): This is the attitude of asking "Why?", seeking to understand and grasp the world. Here, "freedom" and "subjectivity" are paramount. One acts only after being convinced; one moves only after the logic holds up. This has been our "norm" since the dawn of modernity.

• Jerusalem (Hebraic Tradition): Here, "Response" precedes the "Question." In Judaism, there is the phrase "Na'aseh V'nishma" (We will do, and we will hear). Before being convinced by logic, one practices the Commandments (Torah). It is an attitude of responding to an absolute command or a call from the Other before interjecting with the question "Why?"

In modern society, particularly under Western values, the "Athenian" way of life—thinking for oneself, deciding for oneself, and acting upon conviction—is considered virtuous. However, Levinas suggested the nobility of the "Jerusalem" way of being: the state of being passively "captured" by something, rather than insisting on subjectivity.

Baseball as "Torah" (The Law)

Let us return to Ohtani. Watching him, one strongly senses a "Jerusalem-style" physicality that modern people are losing.

For him, baseball is not merely a sport or a profession. It appears to be the "Torah" (Law) itself in the context of Levinas. There is no gap to insert "Athenian" questions like "Why do I play baseball?" or "What does baseball mean to me?" He immerses his entire existence in the "Law" called baseball. Eating, sleeping, training—everything is dedicated to observing this Law.

From a Western (Athenian) perspective, this might appear "too stoic" or "ascetic." But from the perspective of Jerusalem, it is not an act of suffering, but a figure continuously responding to a "Beruf" (Calling). There is no hesitation of "Why?"; like a mountaineer who climbs simply "because the mountain is there," or a devout Jew who observes the Law simply "because the Law is there," he just "Does."

Saintliness Filling the Void in America

Why does this figure of Ohtani "resonate" so powerfully in America, a Christian nation?

While America is ostensibly a secular state with separation of church and state, the ethics of Christianity (especially Protestantism) are deeply rooted in its spiritual soil. Diligence, temperance, devotion to God. These were once the virtues Americans idealized. However, modern society has become complex, and a vast "gray zone" has expanded between faith and daily life. Many people likely harbor the conflict of wanting to be devout while being swept away by secular desires and the logic of capitalism.

Into this space appeared Shohei Ohtani. He is not a Christian. However, his attitude toward baseball completely overlaps with the Archetype of the "Saint" or "Seeker" that Americans hold deep in their hearts.

He dedicates 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, to the "God" known as Baseball, without a single impurity. It is a devotion of 100% purity, with no gray or black zones. It seems he embodies, on the secular field of baseball, the state of being that monks and clergy once aimed for. Spectators feel a sense of religious "Awe" not just for his play, but for the "beauty of his life itself."

Conclusion: Salvation for Moderns Fatigued by "Freedom"

As Levinas's philosophy suggests, "freedom" and "subjectivity" are not everything for human beings. Modern people may actually be exhausted by the pressure to "live freely" and "think for yourself." Constantly asking "Why?" can sometimes weigh down life and bring our feet to a halt.

Ohtani's presence offers us another possibility. It is the beauty and strength of immersing oneself utterly in a mission or role given to oneself (Jerusalem), transcending logic and reasoning (Athens).

This is not a "suspension of thought." It is a state where the body and soul respond to something before thought occurs. We, too, in our daily work, parenting, and lives, are likely observing some kind of "Law" and "Doing" for the sake of someone, often without realizing it. We don't need to attach a "Why?" to everything. We proceed simply because there is a path. Through the rare existence of Shohei Ohtani, we may be rediscovering the brilliance of the simple, powerful "Body of Jerusalem," liberated from the "Reason of Athens."