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 illusion (Anatta). It
is the Buddha who teaches that attachment to a fixed concept of "me"
or "mine" is the cause of suffering. Rather than concentrating on who
you are as a person, Eastern philosophy instructs you to view yourself as part
of a greater flow and to release the ego.
Philosophically, this gives rise to various means of addressing issues. In the West, issues tend to be confronted using logic, action, and altering the external world to accommodate the self. In the East, individuals tend to turn inward using meditation or mindfulness to alter the manner in which the self engages the world. The one says, "How do I correct this?" The other says, "How can I be at peace with this?" ” Neither view is wrong, they just come from different beliefs about what the self really is.
These are various
perceptions of the self, which reflects on the manner in which individuals live
their lives. In the West, life would be seen as finding one's individual self
and realizing one's individual potential, achieving success, being independent,
and being self-conscious. In the East, harmony, peace of mind, and religious
awakening are emphasized. Life is not a matter of constructing the ego, but of
soothing it and knowing that you are not as isolated as you imagine. Inner
peace is not gained through control, but through release.
References:
O'Brien, B. (2019, February 18). Anatman: The teaching of no self. Learn Religions. https://www.learnreligions.com/anatman-anatta-449669
Encyclopaedia Britannica. (n.d.). Anatta. In Britannica.com. Retrieved April 23, 2025, from https://www.britannica.com/topic/anatta
Wayne, L. (2016, April 1). Anatta: The Buddhist doctrine of “no self”. CARM. https://carm.org/buddhism/anatta-the-buddhist-doctrine-of-no-self/​:contentReference[oaicite:7]{index=7}
Maden, J. (n.d.). I think therefore I am: Descartes’ cogito ergo sum explained. Philosophy Break. Retrieved April 23, 2025, from https://philosophybreak.com/articles/i-think-therefore-i-am-descartes-cogito-ergo-sum-explained/​:contentReference[oaicite:8]{index=8}
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