WATANABE, Ranko Instructor

To explore the human mind intellectually.

My research focuses on the human mind, drawing on the philosophies of ancient and medieval Western thought. What do humans ultimately desire? Why do distorted desires arise? Philosophers and theologians since antiquity have grappled with these questions, leaving behind profound insights. Their ideas offer many valuable lessons for us living in the modern age.

• Main research area: Ancient and medieval Western thought
• Courses taught: Thought and philosophy of medieval Europe, thought and philosophy of Greece and Rome, etc.

Research topic

Ancient and Medieval Western Thought

Research Topics

My research focuses on theories about the human mind in ancient and medieval Western society, particularly those of Augustine. I explore why distortions in desires and will arise in the human mind, and how these distortions can be healed.

Related to this, I also research issues of evil (why do humans commit evil, why does evil exist in the world?) and issues of love (what kind of love heals the heart, etc.).

Furthermore, through analyzing Western mystical thought from antiquity through the Middle Ages and early modern period, I also consider the connection between the human mind and transcendent beings. Related to this, I am also interested in religious psychology.

Examples of graduation thesis titles for seminars

• "The Ancient Greek View of the Afterlife"
• "The Scapegoat as the Embodiment of Evil—From Jungian Psychology—"
• "Nietzsche, the Defender of Suffering—Is Suffering Unnecessary in Life?"
• "What Kills a Person in Relationships? – Exploring the Mysteries of Natsume Soseki's 'Kokoro'"
• "Rethinking 'Love' through 'The Little Prince'"

Recent works

• "Christianity and Dreams: Augustine's Reflections on Dreams," in Kenji Tsuda, Shiro Kawashima, Atsushi Hayase, and Takashi Fujii (eds.), *Ancient Europe and Dreams*, Kyoto University Press, 2025, Chapter 5.
• "The Volitional Aspect of Desire After the Fall: An Analysis of Augustine's *Trinity*, Books 10-12," Tohoku Gakuin University Journal, *Humanities and Theology*, No. 21, 2023, pp. 1-14.
• “Augustine's Perspectives on Practical Healing of Concupiscence”, Markus Vinzented., Studia Patristica, Vol. CXIX, Vol. 16, pp. 129-139, 2021.
• "Augustine's View of the Body," *Japanese Theology*, No. 57, 2018.

For more details, please see researchmap.