For Socrates, the goal of philosophy was to "know thyself".Lao Tzu, in his Tao Te Ching, says "Knowing others is wisdom.. Knowing the self is enlightenm • Eastern- also called Oriental; represents Asia • Western- represents Europe and Northern America 3. The differences between Eastern and Western thought can be clearly seen in modern society, despite globalization and unifying influences. Meanwhile, Western philosophy focuses on ethics. Western heritage: The western tradition is commonly acknowledged to be “imbued with a style of *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Start studying LESSON 5: THE SELF IN WESTERN AND EASTERN THOUGHT. Aspect 1: Where Thinking Happens — Internally or Externally The Concept of Time. At the end of this lesson, you should be able to: 1. Ulrich Steinvorth, Rethinking the Western Understanding of the Self, Cambridge UP, 2009, 222pp., $26.99 (pbk) ISBN 9780521757072. Comparison of Western and Oriental Thought is a book written by Sierran sociologist Mark Culler and published in 1904 which has been identified as the most influential book in Sierra, and one of the most important sociological books in the 20th century. Create a representation of the Filipino self. Differentiate the concept of self according to Western thought against Eastern/Oriental perspectives; 2. They were written over a … Individualism – favours the individual as an independent entity and encourages self-promotion and self-worth. Reviewed by Ruth Hagengruber, University of Paderborn, Germany This book presents a courageous analysis of the philosophical concept of the self and its marked influence on Western history and civilisation. Explain the concept of self as found in Asian thoughts; and 3. Not all Chinese (or Westerners) think this way, but these are observed tendencies.. Satisfaction with what one has is the key. EASTERN AND WESTERN PHILOSOPHY The subject of philosophy has always been divided along two lines of thinking – the eastern and the western. Concepts of the Self: Western and Eastern Perspectives. 800-500 BC), when Greek thinkers broke with purely mythological explanations of the world by attempting to explain nature logically. The most important characteristic of the Eastern world view - one could almost say the essence of it - is the awareness of the unity and mutual interrelation of all things and events, the experience of all phenomena in the world as manifestations of a basic oneness. Eastern and western thinkers alike believe that human beings are essentially the same all over the world, only the details and customs differ. Both Western and Eastern civilizations have been occupied with self-knowledge and underscored its importance particularly citing the paradoxical combination of immediate availability and profound obscurity involved in its pursuit. Though each line is concerned with finding the right path to follow, the methodology and teachings of the philosophers from either line of thinking has been distinct and different. Today, the cultures of the world can be divided into two main parts such as the Eastern and Western culture. In contrast, the Western civilization is more individualistic, trying to find the meaning of life here and now with self at the center as it is already given and part of the divine. The Eastern philosophy is drawn much more into groups or society or people’s actions and thoughts as one in order to find meaning in life as they try to get rid of the false “me” concept and find meaning in discovering the true “me” in relation to everything around them… Clearly, human beings cannot be reduced to parts but must be understood within the context of the whole. Richard C. Page. The culture of a community or a nation depends upon the surroundings, the values and beliefs that they are brought up upon. Reflections on Eastern and Western Spirituality This article can be read separately, but it is intended to be an appendix to the previous one, The Role of the Citizen in a Spiritual Society , and it would be helpful if all readers are familiar with the material there. To hear more reflections from Gish Jen, click on her portrait and listen to an interview conducted by Harvard University Press. Get this from a library! “Conceptual self” (Neisser, 1997), “Relational Self” (Jordan, 1991), “Public and private selves” (Morin, 1998) have just been a few amongst the many terms offered in the explanation of the ways people perceive themselves and their world. The self-concept is a knowledge representation that contains knowledge about us, including our beliefs about our personality traits, physical characteristics, abilities, values, goals, and roles, as well as the knowledge that we exist as individuals. In Eastern philosophy, though, the self is often treated as an illusion. The Buddhist notion of self circumvents reification, being an impermanent gestalt formed by the interaction of five skandhas or aggregates (form, feelings, perceptions, impulses, consciousness). Ancient Eastern Philosophy On the Ancient Wisdom of Buddhism, Hinduism, Taoism & Confucianism. To some extent Western formulations of the self evidence a homunculus-like quality lacking in some Eastern conceptions, especially those derived from the Vijnanavada and Zen Buddhist traditions. It forms a bridge between the absolute and the relative, between the apparently real, and the truly real, between what we perceive as secular and what we know as holy. The earliest religious writings in the East are known as the Vedas, and form the basis of Hindu philosophy and religion. The concept of time marks another telling difference between Eastern and Western thought. Western science has relied on methods for reducing processes to their most elemental level and investigating them in isolation as single variables. All Western philosophers prior to Socrates are known as the "presocratics". the Self in the East and the West as purported by Alan Watts. All religion, whether Western or Eastern, is a nexus. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. Part of what is developing in children as they grow is the fundamental cognitive part of the self, known as the self-concept. By and large, cultures in the West tend to be more individualistic whereas people from the East are more collectivist. Hence different parts of the world feature different cultures that vary very much from one another. In Western thought, people tend to answer affirmatively and think of the self as an entity separate from others. Eastern and western philosophy of self 1. And a Western bias still is that the East can learn from the West, rather than vice versa, and indeed is doing so, as is exhibited in the spread of technology, capitalism and democracy. God the Self and Nothingness: Reflections Eastern and Western (God, the Contemporary Discussion Series) [Carter, Robert E.] on Amazon.com. The title of this paper was “Uniting Eastern Philosophy and Western Science” (1992). [Robert Edgar Carter;] As individuals, one must do what is supposed to be done without causing ill to others. AND EASTERNTHOUGHT LESSON OBJECTIVES. Richard C. Page: is an associate professor in the Department of Counseling and Human Development Services at the University of Georgia, Athens. Lesson 4: The Self in Western and Eastern Thoughts 2. Western philosophy was born during the Archaic age of Greece (ca. Reductionism, while useful in certain applications, is not helpful in understanding the person. However throughout the years, the two have come to influence one another constantly due to globalization, and shaping and moulding one another in the process. A portrait of the author Gish Jen, whose book Tiger Writing: Art, Culture, and the Interdependent Self, explores Eastern and Western differences in self-narration. While Western psychology seems to reflect an … God, the self, and nothingness : reflections eastern and western. In fact, human beings are essentially the same the world over, only the details and customs differ, and the philosophies of eastern and western thinkers make this quite clear. There is still a widespread inclination to think that there is an unbridgeable chasm between Eastern and Western philosophy. The differences listed below are heavily stereotyped, generalized, and polarized. Main Article Presocratics. God the Self and Nothingness: Reflections Eastern and Western (God, the Contemporary Discussion Series) THE SELF IN WESTERN. 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