Joshua Peliño BA-Philosophy 4 COMPARATIVE PHILOSOPHY SELF: WESTERN THOUGHT VS. EASTERN THOUGH In Western philosophy, the self as an individual self is conceived apart from others and the world. This is something that goes way back to notable philosophers such as René Descartes who stated, "I think, therefore I am." According to Descartes, if you can think and know that you exist, it is evidence enough that you are. In the West, freedom, individuality, and personal identity are strongly emphasized. Individuals are urged to discover "who they really are" via introspection, personal aspirations, and the development of a robust sense of identity. By contrast, Eastern philosophy would see the self not as a distinct entity, but as something very much linked to everything else. In Hinduism, the real self, referred to as Atman, is not merely your body or your mind it is your soul, which is one with the universal soul, Brahman. In Buddhism, the self is an...