Takanobu Watabe

The Oxford Uehiro St Cross Visiting Programme (2024)

Joining us from: Japan
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Recognised Student - Philosophy (2024)

I specialize in the philosophy of well-being and love, engaging with both analytic philosophy and Kyoto School philosophy. My current research seeks to articulate a new response to the question, “What is well-being?”, drawing on insights and intuitions rooted in Japanese Buddhist thought. Given that well-being constitutes a foundational objective across various domains of society—such as politics, economy, and morality—this project holds the potential to offer an alternative social vision. In doing so, it challenges dominant conceptions of well-being that have been historically shaped within Euro-American intellectual contexts.

Receiving a scholarship to study at Oxford opened the door to innumerable serendipitous encounters—with inspiring researchers, transformative ideas, and unfamiliar cultures. The Faculty of Philosophy stood out as a remarkably dynamic and intellectually rich environment, where opportunities for rigorous exchange with both faculty and fellow students abounded. Each day, leading scholars from around the world visited the Faculty to share their work and engage in thoughtful dialogue. In these conversations, we exchanged our latest ideas—each shaped by various intellectual traditions—and such dialogues continually provoked new thoughts and feelings within me.

St Cross College, in particular, provided a well-balanced environment that combined rich academic resources with a sense of calm and community. I lived in college accommodation overlooking a charming English garden, shared memorable evenings at college dinners with friends, and enjoyed leisure activities such as punting and swimming. My life at Oxford left me with not only a firm foundation for my ongoing academic journey but also cherished memories.