On Friday, after finishing all my lectures at APU, I headed to JR Beppu Station and traveled directly to Okayama City via the Sonic and the Sanyo Bulle-train. There, I gave a lecture on AI and innovation at the “Kibi Keiseikai,” an organization composed of executives from medium-sized and small businesses in Okayama City, as
A discussion on the future of physical AI and manual labor was held between His Eminence Otani Guwen, Head of the Hongwanji Sect, and Professor Hirahara. Professor Hirahara described physical AI as “the fusion of robotics and AI” and discussed the background behind the development of robotics such as Aibo and Asimo in perspective. During
In the main session of the seminar, Professor Hirahara spoke on the topic of how to develop an “artistic vision” for business, while Monk Nishihara explained the importance of having a vision and the need to break away from the status quo to aim for tenfold growth. Professor Hirahara touched on the relationship between art
Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University held an experiential event titled “Art and D&I: ‘See, Create, Think.’” In collaboration with Heralbony Co., Ltd., the art NPO BEPPU PROJECT, and others, the university implemented a program that allowed students, faculty and staff, and local community members to experience diversity through art. A total of 45 participants, including students,
The lecturers discussed the ideological divide between generations, focusing in particular on the differences in values between the postwar generation (the baby boomers) and their children (Generation X). The conversation ranged from the secularization of mythology and Nietzsche’s idea that “God is dead” to contemporary anime and superhero culture, and the group discussed how works
This conference was held under the theme “We Don’t Need Motivation.” Participants included His Eminence Otani, the Head of the Shingon Sect; Professor Hirahara; and Reverend Nishihara. Reverend Nishihara argued that the concept of motivation is, in fact, unnecessary, citing Aesop’s fable of the three bricklayers as an example to explain how differences in sense
The main session was a seminar featuring a dialogue between His Eminence Otani, the Head Priest of the Gomon-shu, His Eminence Guen, the Head Priest of the Gomon-shu, and Professor Hirahara on the theme “The Wartime Generation and the Post-War Generation: Buddhism’s Responsibility for the War—Is It the Individual or the State?” The two speakers
Under the theme “We Don’t Need Psychological Safety,” this conference featured a discussion on the intersection of Buddhism and science. Professor Hirahara explained that the concept of psychological safety is often misunderstood, noting that its original meaning—as proposed by Professor Edmondson—is to foster innovation by allowing for challenges and failures within an organization. The Professor
Lecturer Ohtani Guen, Head of the Temple, and Dr. Hirahara engaged in a dialogue on the concept of suffering in Buddhism and its evolution. They discussed the concept of the “Four Sufferings and Eight Sorrows,” particularly the sufferings of birth, aging, illness, and death, as well as the recognition of new forms of suffering among
I was largely delighted that Professor Takahashi from the School of Integrated Psychology at Ritsumeikan University OIC came to visit me “yet once again” (this is the second time in the last 10 days…)! The purpose of this visit was to hold a strategy meeting—with about five of us, including Dr. Mimori, the director of