The Theory of Logos and "Kehai" (Presence) — Why Japanese and English Are So Fundamentally Different

The Theory of Logos and "Kehai" (Presence) — Why Japanese and English Are So Fundamentally Different 1. Introduction: Differences in Cognitive Processing The difference between Japanese and English (Western languages) is not merely a matter of grammar or vocabulary. It stems from a deeper divergence in the definition of "what language is," and even fundamentally different ways of using the brain and spirit. Understanding this distinction serves not only as a tool for language learning but also as a key to grasping how Japanese people perceive the world—a subject of philosophy and cultural anthropology. 2. The West Forbids the "Heart"; Japan Overflows with It At the root of language lies a religious worldview. Japanese culture is animistic; it perceives a "heart" (Buddha-nature, divinity, or presence) in everything—living organisms, inanimate objects, and empty space alike. The world is filled with "heart." In contrast, the West (Judeo-Christian culture) has a history of strictly prohibiting finding divinity in created things (anything other than the Creator), viewing it as idolatry. There is also a practical background: in a pastoral culture, one cannot survive if one empathizes too deeply with livestock. As a result, the Western psyche evolved to coldly separate the "Subject" (Human/God) from the "Object" (Things/Animals), whereas Japan maintained a worldview where they are blended. This is directly reflected in the linguistic structure. 3. Absolute Trust in "Logos" vs. "Fu-ryu-monji" The foundation of Western civilization is the idea that "The Word (Logos) is God." Just as the Bible represents God's truth, they believe that words are tools where the "Signified" (meaning) and "Signifier" (symbol) must match perfectly. Like mathematical analysis, words must converge on the object. Japan, however, holds the wisdom of "Fu-ryu-monji" (a Zen concept meaning truth cannot be conveyed by letters alone). We use not only "Text" but also the surrounding air and context to express the world. Words are not the only tool to describe the world, but merely one of many (and an imperfect one at that). This "Non-Text-Centrism" is the essence of the Japanese language. 4. The Curse of Grammar: Subject-Centrism vs. Predicate-Centrism Japanese people struggle with English education because they try to force Japanese into the "SVO" mold. English is a "Subject-Centered" language where the verb cannot be determined unless "Who (Subject)" is defined. This parallels the monotheistic worldview of confronting God as an individual. On the other hand, Japanese is a "Predicate-Centered" language. One can say "Ame da" (It is rain) without a subject like "It." As long as there is a predicate (what happened), the sentence holds. In the sentence "Zo wa hana ga nagai" (As for the elephant, its nose is long), "Zo wa" is not a grammatical subject but merely a topic marker. Attempting to dissect this with English grammar leads to failure. 5. Conclusion: Japanese as a Quantum Field To use modern analogies to describe the difference: Western Languages (Classical Physics/Particle): Aim to dissect the world with words and fix meaning to a single point (determining the position of the particle). It is a digital language that clarifies the "Figure" and discards the "Ground." Japanese (Quantum Theory/Field): Does not fix the meaning of words, maintaining a state of "superposition" of possibilities. It is an analog language that attempts to express not just the "Figure" but the "Ground" (Field/Atmosphere) itself. If Western languages are languages of "convergence" aiming for the coincidence of Signifier and Signified, Japanese is a language of "diffusion and resonance," where the Signifier contains "surplus (Kehai/Presence)" beyond the Signified. Neither is superior to the other. However, trying to understand Japanese using an English grammar book—effectively reading a manual for a different operating system—will inevitably lead to system errors.