By investigating the beginning and identity of “Japanese philosophy” as well as the originality of Nishida Kitaro's Inquiry into the Good and the autonomy of “pure experience,” Richard Stone places this influential work squarely in its formative historical context and lets us see exactly how precedents lie behind philosophical innovations.

John Maraldo, Professor of Philosophy Emeritus, University of North Florida, USA

This book offers a detailed analysis of sources and arguments to answer the fundamental question of what makes Nishida the first modern Japanese philosopher. It is essential reading for understanding how Nishida's philosophical undertaking took shape in the context of Japanese intellectual history and how he, in turn, transformed it.

Raquel Bouso, Associate Professor in the Department of Humanities, Pompeu Fabra University, Barcelona, Spain

Did Nishida present the first "philosophy" in Japan? This book reveals how Nishida's maiden work, An Inquiry into the Good, constituted its problems and answers in response to other Japanese "philosophies" of the Meiji era. Through a brilliant analysis, Richard Stone gives us a great insight into why Nishida's philosophy later became the leading "philosophy" of modern Japan.

Yujin Itabashi, Professor of Philosophy, Rissho University, Japan

By aptly contextualizing Nishida's inaugural work, An Inquiry into the Good, within the broader intellectual landscape of the Meiji period, and bringing attention to several lesser-known thinkers, this book provides English readers with a deeper and more nuanced understanding regarding the claim that Nishida is the first original modern Japanese philosopher.

Yuko Ishihara, Associate Professor at the College of Global Liberal Arts, Ritsumeikan University, Japan