THE WESTERN AND EASTERN CHAPTER 5
CONCEPTS OF SELF
WESTERN CONCEPT OF SELF
The Western concept of self is holistically defines by
Frank Johnson:
1. Western Self as Analytic
The Western way of thinking is analytic-deductive, with
emphasis on casual links (part-to-whole relationships). The
whole is understood when differentiated into parts. One
must categorize and make distinctions to pursue cause.
2. Western Self as Monotheistic
The belief in one Supreme Being coexisting with the
universe condenses the supernatural and human
capabilities into a bipolarity of both qualities of existence
(e.g., beautiful/ugly); kind/cruel; sacred/profane; and
categories of identity or experience (e.g., God/Satan;
body/soul; love/lust; and sinner/saint).
3. Western Self as Individualistic
Western individualism exhibits the coexistence of
favorable and unfavorable conditions inherent in personal
freedom.
4. Western Self as Materialistic and Rationalistic
The Western way of thinking is focused on material
"things" and favors a rational-empirical approach
over magical and superstitious explanations of
immaterial "things."
David Ho (1995) describes the Western self as an
individualistic self that is deeply aware of itself, its
uniqueness, sense of direction, purpose, and volition. The
self is located at the center within the individual, through
which the world is perceived. The self is also seen as "an
entity distinct from other selves and all other entities."
This implies that the self belongs to the individual and no
other.
Frank Johnson (1985) traces the earliest historical roots
of the Western concept of self to works on philosophy
almost half a million years ago. By the middle of the 19th
century, psychology has provided answers to
philosophical questions about the concepts of soul and
mind. Experimental psychology came into prominence
during the mid-19th century and put forth the concept of
self within the social-interactionist framework. The growth
of sociology, anthropology, and psychology in the late
19th century saw the emergence of various concepts of
self, among them the Western concept.
EASTERN CONCEPT OF SELF
THE SELF IN FOUR GREAT SYSTEMS OF EASTERN
THOUGHT
1. Hinduism
The Hindu concept of the self is expounded in
Vedanta, a major school of Indian thought based on
Upanishads, the classical Indian philosophical treatises
It has been stated that Brahman is an absolute reality,
and Atman (soul or spirit), the true knowledge of self, is
identical to Brahman.
Vedanta characterizes human suffering as the result of
failure to realize the distinction between the true self
(permanent and unchanging) and the non-true self
(impermanent and changes continually)
The law of karma is the most important doctrine of
Hinduism. All actions are subject to karma. Individual
actions will lead to either good or bad outcomes in
one's life. People get exactly what they deserve.
2. Buddhism
Siddharta Gautama, known as the Buddha, is the founder of
Buddhism. The root word of Buddhism is budh, meaning awake. To
be awake may imply that opening the eyes would lead to
understanding more about the self and the world.
The Four Noble Truths are the basic principles of Buddhism
1. Life is suffering
2. Suffering is caused by attachment to desires
3. Suffering can be eliminated
4. Elimination of suffering is through the practice of the Eightfold
Path (right view, right aspiration, right speech, right action, right
livelihood, right effort, eight mindfulness, and right concentration).
EIGHTFOLD PATH:
•Right View – understanding that life involves suffering.
•Right Aspiration – having good intentions and compassion.
•Right Speech – avoiding lies and hurtful words.
•Right Action – doing good deeds, avoiding harm.
•Right Livelihood – choosing work that doesn’t harm others.
•Right Effort – developing positive habits.
•Right Mindfulness – being aware of thoughts and actions.
•Right Concentration – focusing the mind through
meditation.
3. Confucianism
The core of Confucian thought is the Golden Rule or the
principle of reciprocity: "Do not do to others what you
would not want others to do to you." Thus, the basic virtue
or proper conduct is knowing how to act in relation to
others.
The most important of relationships are the Five Cardinal
Relationships between ruler and subject, between father
and son, between husband and wife, between brothers,
and between friends.
Another important feature in Confucian thought is the
individual's greatest mission of attaining self realization
wherein self-cultivation is instrumental.
Self-cultivation can be accomplished by knowing one's role
in society and acting accordingly Moral character is
perfected by continuously taking every opportunity to
improve oneself in thought and action. There will be
harmonious relationships when individuals follow the rules of
proper social behavior.
The individual is set to respond to what is socially required,
rather than to one's personal needs and goals. Here, the self
is a subdued self (Ho, 1995).
4. Taoism
Taoism is a Chinese counterculture. Taoists reject the
Confucian idea of a relation self. To them, the self is an
extension of the cosmos, not social relationships.
The self is described as one of the limitless forms of the
Tao. The Tao is commonly regarded as Nature that is the
foundation of all that exists.
END OF THE LESSON