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    The document discusses the Eastern and Western views of the self. In the East, philosophies like Buddhism, Taoism, Hinduism, and Confucianism see the self as an illusion and believe we are all interconnected. In the West, philosophies emphasize the individual self and see it as distinct from others. Key differences are that Eastern thought is more spiritual and collective while Western thought is more practical and focused on individualism.

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    BEJERANO, CHRISTIAN SHANE T.

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    The document discusses the Eastern and Western views of the self. In the East, philosophies like Buddhism, Taoism, Hinduism, and Confucianism see the self as an illusion and believe we are all interconnected. In the West, philosophies emphasize the individual self and see it as distinct from others. Key differences are that Eastern thought is more spiritual and collective while Western thought is more practical and focused on individualism.

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    31 views2 pages

    Bejerano, Christian Shane T.

    Uploaded by

    Christian Shane Bejerano
    The document discusses the Eastern and Western views of the self. In the East, philosophies like Buddhism, Taoism, Hinduism, and Confucianism see the self as an illusion and believe we are all interconnected. In the West, philosophies emphasize the individual self and see it as distinct from others. Key differences are that Eastern thought is more spiritual and collective while Western thought is more practical and focused on individualism.

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    Bejerano, Christian Shane T.

    BSN 1B
    October 15, 2022
    Understanding The Self

    ACTIVITY 1.
    Etymologico-philosophical analysis of the notion of self in the western and
    eastern Philosophy.

    In general, "philosophy" is defined as "the study of wisdom or knowledge about general problems, facts, and
    situations related to human existence, values, reasons, and general reality." It seeks reasons, answers, and general
    explanations to life and its factors. Thus, when we speak of philosophy, we are referring to a school of thought. And when
    we connect it to our topic, it differs and comes with the realities, problems, and situations of specific people, such as the
    East and the West in this case. The philosophy of self defines the essential characteristics that distinguish one person from
    all others. There have been several approaches to defining these characteristics and the concept of the self is a unified
    being that is the source of consciousness. In the Eastern-vs.-Western dichotomy, in which Eastern represents Asia and
    Western represents Europe and North America, is one of the most common divisions between cultures and people.
    Different cultures and environments tend to produce different perceptions of the "self," and it is important to note that this
    distinction, as well as the countries included, were politically charged at the time the aforementioned notions were
    accepted and applied in the social sciences. Furthermore, while nations that are physically close to one another may have
    some things in common, there are also many differences. Each country may have similar or dissimilar concept of the self.

    EASTERN THOUGHT OF THE SELF


    While Western ideologies posit that a human self exists separate from all other individuals, Eastern
    ideologies deny the existence of a fixed human self. In Oriental thought, "the self" is an illusion. Eastern religions
    ascribe to the idea that we are all influenced by, and connected to, a greater entity or power outside of ourselves.
    Generally, Eastern philosophy views "the self" as an illusion. Eastern religions believe that we are all interconnected
    and part of a greater universal whole. In Eastern we have 4 philosophies that influences the self.

    CONFUCIANISM
    Follows the virtues of love, righteousness, wisdom, propriety and loyalty to promote harmony in the society.
    Confucianism's main idea is the importance of having a good moral character, which can then affect the world around
    that person via the concept of "cosmic harmony." If the emperor has moral perfection, his rule will be peaceful and
    benevolent.

    BHUDISM
    For Buddhists, all aspects of life are impermanent, and all elements of the universe are constantly changing and
    transitioning, a process that includes each self. The self is best imagined as a flame that is constantly passed from
    candle to candle, maintaining some continuity but no real personal identity. Furthermore, the self is composed of five
    aggregates, according to Buddhist philosophy: physical form, sensation, conceptualization, dispositions to act, and
    consciousness. Each self is made up of the constant interaction of these five elements, but there is no substance or
    identity outside of this dynamic interaction. Breaking free from worldy attachments will allow an individual to the
    state of Nirvana.
    TAOISM
    Taoism refers to the fundamental or true nature of the world; it is the essential, unnameable process of the universe.
    Tao is both before and after the universe. Nothing in the Universe is fixed, static, or non-moving; everything is
    constantly transforming. Taoist philosophy acknowledges that the Universe already works harmoniously in its own
    way; if a person exerts his will against or upon the world, he will disrupt the already existing harmony, going 'against
    the flow of life.' As a result, they believe that by living in accordance with nature, one can become one with the Tao by
    understanding natural laws.
    HINDUISM
    Hinduism believes that the identification of the spiritual essence of all human beings and the universe leads to
    liberation. Hinduism is a long-standing set of traditions and beliefs that have existed and evolved throughout human
    history. Many Hindu beliefs and teachings exist, but the two most common views of self in Hinduism are Brahman
    and Atman. Hindus strive to become their truest selves, or self-realize, in order to merge their Atman consciousness
    with the divine Brahman consciousness, granting liberation through this deeply spiritual process.

    WESTERN THOUGHT OF THE SELF

    The role of environment and society in the formation of the self is not dismissed in the Western perspective, but the
    emphasis is always on the self. You compare yourself in order to improve, you form associations and bask in the glory
    of that group for your self-esteem, and you prioritize the development of your. Western thought views the world in
    dualities, in which you are distinct from the other person, and the creator is distinct from the object he or she created.
    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 notion of “self” has a derivative connotation from, perhaps, the most famous thought of the French scientist and
    philosopher René Descartes “Cogito, ergo sum”, which introduced the dualism of soul (mind) and body.

    Later in the twentieth century, the Austrian neuroanatomist and neurologist Sigmund Freud introduced his famous
    structural model of the psychic apparatus id, ego, and superego, in which the ego or self takes the middle position and
    thus becomes a symbol of personal identity, and the word "ego" comes from Latin and corresponds to the pronoun "I."

    The distinction between the following concepts must be clarified: "consciousness," "self-consciousness," "self," and
    "personal identity." On the one hand, the concepts of "consciousness," "soul," and "self" are all interchangeable. Self-
    consciousness, on the other hand, emerges when the self's attention is directed towards itself. Furthermore, the self's
    attention to experiential objects should be identified with the self as such - the self is both the observing subject and
    the subject with its own personal history. In terms of "personal identity," it is the sum total of experiences and their
    derivatives (thoughts, values, and so on) that are related to the self and are positioned in an interpretative system that is
    constantly enriched by each new experience.

    DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE EASTERN AND WESTERN


    THOUGHT OF THE SELF

    • Western philosophy is prevalent in Western parts of the world, such as Europe, whereas Eastern philosophy is
    prevalent in Asian countries.

    • Western philosophy is concerned with individualism, whereas Eastern philosophy is concerned with collectivism.

    • Eastern philosophy is more spiritual, whereas Western philosophy is more practical.

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