What does a philosopher do at Google?

 

Dear Old Stockholm

 

Dear Old Stockholm where I will visit this winter again. It is before Covid I walked all over the city before taking a boat for Finland.

Good evening Vietnam

 

Good evening Vietnam! It was one of the most impressive travels I was involved.

The Medieval Warm Period

 

The Medieval Warm Period (MWP) was a time of warm climate from about 900 A.D. to 1300 A.D. when global temperatures were apparently somewhat warmer than at present. Its effects were evident in Europe where grain crops flourished, alpine tree lines rose, many new cities arose, and the population more than doubled. The Vikings took advantage of the climatic amelioration to colonize Greenland, and wine grapes were grown as far north as England where growing grapes is now not feasible and about 500 km north of present vineyards in France and Germany. Grapes are presently grown in Germany up to elevations of about 560 m, but from about 1100 A.D. to 1300 A.D., vineyards extended up to 780 m, implying temperatures warmer by about 1.0–1.4 °C (Oliver, 1973). 

https://est.ufba.br/sites/est.ufba.br/files/kim/medievalwarmperiod.pdf

Dear my old friend

 

Dear my old friend who stayed in same dormitory and enjoyed music in university days. Just restrain smoking even if I know it is impossible. 

Night flight for New York

 

Night flight for New York. It is 12 hours and 30 minutes’ trip. I need just good sleep. 

Moon Dance Street

 

Near Monument Valley, I found this romantic street near the trivial village of Navajo. 

for Narita

 

Poor foreign visitors are struggling to buy tickets for Narita after long cue!  

The level of democracy

 

The level of democracy enjoyed by the average person in the world in 2023 is down to 1985-levels; by country-based averages, it is back to 1998. 

Since 2009 – almost 15 years in a row – the share of the world’s population living in autocratizing countries has overshadowed the share living in democratizing countries. 

The decline is stark in Eastern Europe and South and Central Asia. 

Latin America and the Caribbean goes against the global trend: Democracy levels increase, and large countries are more democratic than smaller ones.

https://v-dem.net/publications/democracy-reports/

peaceful days of autumn Russia

 

I hope this country gets its beauty again like this forest. I am missing peaceful days of autumn Russia. Now I can’t visit there. 

Autumn of Rio Grande

 

Autumn of Rio Grande stretching toward Mexican border where people making the ugly & stupid wall along with this beautiful river to show their egos and greediness of the human beings.

Autumn of Fort Tryon Park

 

Autumn of Fort Tryon Park is my most favorite place to visit in New York City. 

Finally the wave of autumn

 

Finally the wave of autumn leaves are reaching to New England ! 

China town

 

The nostalgic train trip of Vietnam

 

The nostalgic train trip of Vietnam can experience the 20th century under the shining tropical environment. 

this 140 years old Brooklyn bridge

 

I know this is a quite touristic place but I still like strolling from Brooklyn to Manhattan by crossing this 140 years old bridge! Around here all dreams, memories and visions of the US made by countless immigrants are packed! I hope this country can keep this energy even from now!

the Japanese version of official textbook of Taiwanese Chinese

 

The biggest project of this year was to publish the Japanese version of official textbook of Taiwanese Chinese. After finishing this big project, I was invited by the National Taiwan Normal University who is its original publisher to cerebrate the completion of our project . I am now trying to send as many Japanese students as possible to Taipei after studying Chinese with this book. It is a small step for international exchange but without having such accumulation of small steps, nobody can make something big. It was fruitful moment to meet my Taiwanese friends to share the pleasure of what we did. 

Now I am at the airport to visit the US. It is my next step to cultivate new area of English education for Japanese business persons.

North Pacific

 

Last post of 20 days Korea & US trip. From the North Pacific, on the way to Tokyo, I am already planning next trip.

Sanctuary of Truth in Pattaya of Thailand

 

Sanctuary of Truth in Pattaya of Thailand is the one of the most challenging and magnificent architectures in the world, that tells us Asian philosophy.

Nagashi Sohmen

 

Wonderful day with my friends from abroad who said to have summer experience with funny idea. By running water on the cut bamboo with thin Japanese noodle and some visitable is one of the popular outdoor activities to feel cool atmosphere in summer days.

Sometimes it is good idea to be childish. It was unforgettable day. 

Nara

 In the afternoon, sun was just behind the old Japanese pagoda tower located in the ancient town called Nara. 

Family relationship

 

Family relationship is the most important value in many Asian countries. It is my honer and fun for me to be accepted by this network of my most important business partner in Philippine. Her mother, relatives and kids are already a part of my life that motivates me to work together. I will take care of the seminar of "How to Work with Other Asians" today before flying Taipei tonight. 

I am studying English

 

I am studying English to meet and enjoy different people, culture & idea of life.

the Indian restaurant in New York

 

This is the Indian restaurant in New York. Family relationship is quite important for Asians even after immigrating in the US. 

I saw a rainbow

 

Today, the trees in my garden were swaying in the wind before the typhoon, rustling and shaking as if the forest were playing an orchestra.

Looking east, I saw a rainbow. And above myself, clouds are moving in a flurry. Typhoons are an annoying weather phenomenon, but there is a certain atmosphere and tastes that move us before and after a storm, and I can't help but sit in my chair in the garden and watch the forest. Usually in the evening, the sound of cicadas comes from the forest, but today they seem to be still in the wind.

I hope storm give us a break in the summer.

The old bravery of the Filipino hill tribes

 

The old bravery of the Filipino hill tribes. In the U.S. or anywhere else, people who have lived there for a long time are now using their traditions as a tourist resource, but they are losing something much more. This may be true for Japan as well.

The poster in a subway in New York City.

 

The poster in a subway in New York City.  This kind of thing gives you a good idea of the culture and society of the country. The content is that this is a country of immigrants and they are providing multilingual support in public schools for their children. This is the background of America's competitiveness, and the population is growing in this country, rather than the challenges of a declining population.

Gun control is not yet

 

Many stores in the US have this sticker. Gun control is not yet well accepted. 

Dragon is calling shower

 

Dragon is calling shower above Taipei! It starts in any minutes! 

Nobody above the law

 

Nobody above the law. The immunity for Trump is starting point of the destruction of democracy based on the separation of the three power in the US.

the head professor of the AI department at National Chung Cheng University

 

I had a very pleasant meeting with Professor Xiong (熊), the head professor of the AI department at National Chung Cheng University in Chiayi, Taiwan. Chiayi used to be a farming village with pineapple and sugar cane fields all around. But now the whole area is about to be transformed to the one of the TSMC's main plants.

Professor Xiong is a Taiwanese who was born in India, so I enjoyed his Indian accent English. And he is one of the top professors in Taiwan’s AI area. 

Over the lunch time, we discussed about the current university education. He and I both agreed that in all universities, students are drifting toward AI and advanced sciences, and the humanities are declining.

Prof. Xiong emphasized to me that this is a major concern for the future of AI. And I totally agree with him because AI has the potential to change human life and thinking. To achieve this, we need to think carefully about how AI can be developed with human areas of thinking, such as philosophy and literature, or this will be a terrible thing that lead to the degeneration of human beings.

In fact, when I told him that the German and French literature departments in Japan have already been decimated, he was surprised and told me that this is something to be concerned about, which also has a negative impact on the development of science in Japan, too.

The reason why many people do not realize the reality that Google employs philosophers is probably due to the fact that Japan's foolish examination system is actually a challenge. It seems that the mistakes from our generation of educating students separately as arts and sciences is now paying a big price.

What we both agreed on is that since school education is not interesting in the first place, children are influenced by it, and those who win the examinations are already losing the ability to think flexibly and diversely. Professor told us that this is an issue that he feels about the similar way in everywhere in the world.

When I invited him to join me in September for my academic writing course to engineering students at Tohoku University, he responded casually. I was grateful and respected that the most prestigious professor of this famous university was so open-minded. It was really enjoyable meeting. 

The neighborhood near the high-speed train station in Chiayi is undergoing a vast land transformation due to TSMC's construction.

With the announcement of a new budget for TSMC, which is expanding into Kumamoto, the purpose of my trip was to discuss ways to train Japanese personnel for the Kumamoto project at Taiwanese universities. The meeting about the fusion of science and humanities gave me the challenging homework to think about the future of Taiwan and Kyushu as it transforms into a digital city. 

Next month, I will be back to the Philippines and Taiwan on another business trip for this assignment.

Lady of American Indian

 

What and why are you praying in the transparent sunset time? Lady of American Indian was just silent.

Cathedral in Guadalajara

 

Mexico, Philippines and Japan were connected in 16th-early 17th centuries over the Pacific with Spanish traders. This cathedral in Guadalajara has the record of Martyrdom happened in Japan around that time 

Trump supporter

This Asian lady is a fanatic Trump supporter. Why do rock-solid supporters follow Trump?

One reason is that his words and the way he expresses them are quite simple and easy to understand.

The United States is a country where the media is guaranteed freedom of the press. However, the contradiction is that the media, as a business, tends to try to improve their ratings by expressing things in a simpler way. This business practices can create the trend for people to jump to messages that are easier to understand.

The simplicity of the “Make America Great Again.” message also have attracted this Asian woman. Whether her comments are true or not is questionable. However, it is important to note that Trump's bedrock supporters are not just people of Caucasian descent, but also some of these new immigrants with strong attachments to America.

Understanding America requires exploration of many different aspects. Among from such aspects, one of the most important American values is the right of each person to freely pursue his or her happiness. However, when more and more people realize that this is simply a propaganda due to the reality of the tough life, then when various grievances and frustrations grow through the gaps, the divisions are created within Americans. 

This is probably what causes people to become more inclined toward the simple and refreshing messages.

I do not want to comment on which side is right and which side is wrong. However, one thing I want to mention is that the most serious cause of the current division is that people on either side have lost the way to touch, listen and empathize with the backgrounds and hearts of the people on the other side.

small industrial revolution

 

In between my busy work schedule, I worked on a small industrial revolution.

Until now, I spent many days from spring to summer chopping wood with an axe to make firewood for the winter stove. This is because if the wood is not made by summer, it will not dry out sufficiently.

However, a local friend came over with a wood-chopper machine on his truck and I borrowed it to use. This friend is an amazing man who emigrated from Iran and is now a carpenter in Japan. He has worked on the renovation of Ikebukuro station (one of the biggest stations in Tokyo) and other major buildings. He now lives in my hometown and helps me with many things. He also imparts wisdom of life that has been passed down from generation to generation in his country.

Anyway, I tried the machine. Although I am not used to it, with this machine, my work will be 10 times more efficient! But it does not use muscles, so the amount of exercise is reduced to one-tenth.

Which is better? It is exactly the issue of convenience and degeneration that all human beings are facing. Anyway, in the pleasant early summer air, while enjoying the scent of wood, I managed to split a huge amount of wood and produce firewood in one day.

Then there is the task of putting it on special shelves. This cannot be done without manual labor.

The sound of a bush warbler can be heard coming from the forest. It was a day that made me think that we must cherish nature.

Starting next week, I will be traveling to Korea and the U.S. for three weeks for training business. The quiet ease will be over soon.

Mountain temple in southern Kyoto

Mountain temple in southern Kyoto is covered with autumn leaves. Take a deep breathe to feel the winter steps. 

 

Zocalo in Mexico City

 

Spending the last night at Zocalo in Mexico City before the flight for Tokyo gave me special attachment.

Departure time is just several hours away.

with spring flowers

 

Country train, celebrated with spring flowers. 

Turkey

 I heard there was an earthquake in the western part of Turkey. I hope people and this beautiful Greco-Roman city Ephesos are still as it were.

Omicron’s thread

 Right before Omicron’s thread, I left the US and arrived in Japan. Now, government has announced to close border. I hope I can visit to see this beautiful evening of Soho again. How soon will it happen…? #world #New_York #travel

sleeper train

 

I took a business trip to Da Nang, Vietnam. In the weekend, I decided to visit Hue, the old capital of this country. 

I was on board of the train that takes three-and-a-half-hour to reach there, instead of the two-hour trip by car. It was a sleeper train, even more classic version of the blue train that I used to run from my hometown to Tokyo in the olden days.

I spent a nostalgic time by sitting in a coach pulled by a panting diesel-powered locomotive. Now, in the midst of the smooth and comfortable daily travel, the smell of fuel oil and the sweat of the workers, the aroma of the food sold in the wooden train, and the murmur of the passengers, all of this is being forgotten. Along with this oblivion, we are also forgetting the human’s bonds and connections sticked in the villages and towns, as we have entered the digital age. 

The train arrived safely in Hue at 1:30 pm, albeit a little late.

On the way home, it was late at night, so I had no choice but to drive to Da Nang all at once along the newly constructed highway. It was a day as if I had been dreaming.

Vietnamese town

More than 400 years ago Japanese immigrants were quite active for trading in this old Vietnamese town. Their sprits may hide in the shadow of these old houses.

Bangkok

 

When I visited Bangkok for the first time in a long time, I met Wanchai Chaiyasit, who is my friend and business partner.

He is a veteran of the field, having studied psychology in the U.S. and worked in child education and English language education for many years.

Wanchai believes that English education should start with the development of conversational and communicative skills, and that English education in Thailand lacks this perspective. I thought that Thailand has the same issues as my country.

As a psychologist, he is also interested in changes in children's communication skills themselves.

He points out that in this day and age, people tend to become defensive in order to protect their identities. He believes that a mindset-shift from "defensive" to "cope" is necessary to develop communication skills.

Wanchai explains that the inability to do so is behind not only the division of the world, but also the problem of bullying among children.

When we are attacked by others, instead of immediately trying to defend ourselves, we need to be aware of how we should deal with the issue brought on the table without stressing out over it.

When debating in English, when the discussion becomes a parallel line between winning and losing, we need to shift our awareness from a defensive attitude to a cope mindset in order to understand the background of our opponent's attacks and our own reactions. Then we need to try to share the issues at a higher level.

He has been working in the field of education for many years, always thinking about this kind of human consciousness and trying to apply it to the real educational field. It is great thing that I admire him. Perhaps what is lacking in the current educational field is the attitude like him. In other words, in these days educators are not always aware of these issues and does not try to dig deep into them.

For the first time in a long time, I would like to invite someone like him to conduct a workshop.

Come to think of it, I often participated in workshops on these issues while I was in the U.S., which made me nostalgic.

With my brother, I visited

With my brother, I visited this mountain that nobody has climbed. l believe his soul is over this mountain to the heaven.

enjoy your freedom

 

With the solitude, enjoy your freedom....

autumn is getting deeper and deeper.

 

After the severe hail, calm afternoon returned, and autumn is getting deeper and deeper. I pray and hope, from the distance, people can integrate after the election in the US. 

Himeji-Jo

Visit us with your friends. This is the feudal castle called Himeji-Jo, the world heritage.

Pangasinan

 After the second vaccination will be over, I will fly back to Pangasinan where my colleagues are working. 

southern France

The cafe in the central Arles where Van Gogh might visit long time ago. blight memory of southern France.