Topic 3a: Eastern Influences Flashcards
What were some of the Eastern influences on Western psychology?
East: often more advanced than Western ideas
many Greek writing was lost, so Eastern scholars saved them
1940-1980: resurgence of Eastern philosophies and ideas in the west (Western philosophers went to Buddhist temples)
What was Persia & Zarathustrian philosophy?
Persia served as a conduit between East and West
the central religious philosophy of ancient Persia was named after the priest and prophet Zarathustra, also known by the Greek name Zoroaster
Who was Zarathustra?
born of the spirit of the supreme God
was given a book by God, described a conflict between a God and a devil
virtues –> eternal life
free will to choose between good and evil
What is the relationship between Hinduism and psychology in India?
the Upanishads are of particular interest to us because they represent the collected wisdom of Hindu scholars who thought about the person’s relation to the world
distrust of the intellect and sensory knowledge is a dominant theme, as is the search for self-control, unity, and universal knowledge
the goals expressed in the Upanishads lead to a psychology that is quite opposite to the basic philosophical tenants of Western psychology
not striving for self expression, but unity with the cosmos or universe, true knowledge would then be found
What is the relationship between Buddism and psychology in India?
Buddha dismissed the notion of a soul or mind as being merely a human invention needed to accommodate some unexplained aspects of experience
sensory input is our only source of knowledge
as individuals, we are not free to will our fate, but rather we are governed by the determinism of habit, heredity, and environmental events
brought ideas to other parts of the world
agnostic approach to life
dismissed the need for an understanding of the soul, perception is everything
What was Taoism in China?
Taoism presents a world view that arose in China, independent of Western influences around 500 BCE
it concerns both a philosophy of the nature of teh world and advice on how to live in accordance with that world
What are the main ideas of Taoism?
that the world is, at its root, ineffable, complete and ever-changing
the world is therefore not open to forms of investigation that “cut it up” with language-based distinctions
that we can learn to act in accordance with the natural way of things, through cultivating simplicity, humility, moderation, and compassion, and by acceptance of, open receptivity to, and interaction with the world
that death does not remove us from the world, but returns us to its ineffable form
Who was Confucious?
for Confucius, the family is teh critical social unit supporting the individual as well as the broader more complex society
Confucianism is not a comprehensive philosophy, but rather is a series of practical teachings directed toward morals and politics
What are eastern influences on modern psychology?
as mentioned earlier, certain Eastern philosophies and religious transitions returned to prominence in the West around the late 1960s, with many scholars converting and adhering to less individualistic and more communal and consciousness-rejecting approaches
