West vs East Concepts of Self Flashcards
Many concepts of science and the arts
originated in Europe in ancient times. This
greatly affected their religious beliefs,
culture, social, and political environments.
This also influenced how they viewed their
communities, and the way they behave as
individuals.
The western world
The approach they used in making
theories was more scientific and
research based
It is more data driven, and relied
mostly on “empirical” and
“pragmatic” methods
As such the overall perspective they
utilized is more “individualistic”
The western world
become more subjective, since the conditions there are more reliant on introspection, than
scientific research. This is in part to the
many ideas flourishing in the area at that time.
These ideas also involve not just the
individual, but of others as well, giving
emphasis on the role of society in the
ultimate meaning of life and the self.
Eastern World
The approach is more subjective and
takes into account the meaning of life in
general, and not just of the individual
It also involves the use of emotions,
feelings, and the relation of the self to
the world in general
The self is considered relational, rather
than isolated, meaning the people and
environments around the individual have
an influence on that person
This overall view of the self is more
“collective”
Eastern world
Buddhism was founded in North Eastern India, in 6 BCE by a man named
Prince Siddhartha or commonly known as Buddha
It is the 4th largest religion in the world, with
followers scattered all over the globe but more
commonly in East Asia
Buddhism
Buddhism can also be considered a _____________________ given that it is not required to be Buddhist to practice the religion
“spiritual practice”
This peak enlightenment of the mind and
body is called “_______” in Buddhist texts
Nirvana
believes in the good nature of
mankind and their connection to the
natural world
It focuses on the suffering of man, and how
to enlighten yourself by looking a the positive
aspects of humanity
To reach enlightenment is to understand
suffering and accept it, this is the main
doctrine of Buddhist beliefs
Buddhism
Oldest recorded religion
Hinduism
hinduism originated in?
Indus valley of Pakistan
It is the dominant religion in India and other
nearby territories, which makes it the 3rd most
popular religion in the world
Their religious doctrine focuses more on
practice than mere belief or faith
Hinduism
meaning they believe in more than one God
Polytheistic religion (hinduism)
The three main beings in Hinduism are;
Brahma (creator), Shiva (destroyer) and
Vishnu (protector). They form the
Triumvirate
They also believe in the Caste System; a
social and religious hierarchy, Samsara or
reincarnation, and Karma
Their main places of worship are temples and
most especially the Ganges River, which is
said to be holy
hinduism
Taoism is a spiritual and philosophical practice that `originated in China in 500 BCE by
Lao Tzu
It was the official state religion of China
during the Tang Dynasty, but remains highly
influential even today
Like Buddhism, it is more of a “spiritual
practice” than a religion, focusing more
on nature and the universe, compared to
gods or goddesses
Taoism
Taoism is also known as?
Daoism
The doctrine of Taoism focuses on
the self as an extension of the
cosmos, not of social
relationships. is described as one
of the limitless forms of the Tao.
Taoism
the way of the universe,
all beings should live in a state
of balance or harmony
Tao
The selfless person leads to a
balanced life, in harmony with
both nature and society. ______
believe that simplicity, spontaneity,
and harmony with nature should
govern one’s life.
There should be unity and
harmony among opposing
elements: the Yin and Yang.
Taoists
