Premium Essay

Eastern and Western Philosophers Comparison

In:

Submitted By bsbr1031
Words 1077
Pages 5
Eastern and Western Philosophers Comparison

PHI/105
May 1, 2011
Andrea Miles

There are many great philosophers. Some of them had very compelling ideas especially for their time while others ideas may have sounded compelling but the concepts just did not work. Some philosophers has similar ideas and others ideas were different. Eastern and Western philosophy is one of the ways the ideas differed. Western philosophy is generally based on logic and reasoning while Eastern philosophy is more closely related to religion and personal growth and choices. Socrates was a great western philosopher who mastered humility and understood the importance of knowledge. Confucius was an Eastern philosopher who as well understood the importance of knowledge as well as humanity. Socrates was a Western philosopher. His method to philosophy was known as the Socratic Method. Socrates examined moral concepts such as goodness, justice, and courage. Socrates is known for saying “I only know that I know nothing” and was quite aware of his own ignorance. He believed that the only things he had knowledge of were the art of love and the love of wisdom and philosophy (Moore-Bruder, 2008). His way of thinking helps a person recognize their own ignorance and see the flaws or errors in their way of thinking and what they know. Socrates was concerned with the meaning of words that signify ethical behavior. He held that any person who possessed knowledge of virtue could not fail to behave virtuously. Thus, Socrates believed that ignoble behavior, if not the result of insanity, is always the result of ignorance. Even though Socrates never wrote any text and his way of thinking was outside the box it makes sense. A person can not gain wisdom and knowledge unless they see their own errors and ignorance. He believed morals and ethics are foundations and are important and that

Similar Documents

Free Essay

Eastern and Western Philosophers Comparison

...Eastern and Western Philosophers Comparison Paper Gillian DiCara PHI/105 Friday, 2 October 2010 Phil McGowan Eastern and Western Philosophers Comparison I chose to compare Kant and Buddha, with a leaning more to the Indian Buddha, rather than the Chinese form of Buddha. The comparison of these two philosophers may seem a little strange but I found that they share a similarity of thought. Kant’s moral law, which can be simplified to (Palomo-Lamarca, Palmquist 2001), “The moral law is a law I make for myself and apply to myself”. Strangely enough this is also the first step in Buddha’s teaching of morality; “The first being I hurt with my unhealthy behavior is not the other(s) to whom my action is directed, but my own self.” (Palomo-Lamarca, Palmquist 2001). I think it was this particular comparison that led me to choosing Kant and Buddha as comparison philosophers. Kant and Buddha have similar thoughts, one in particular is “Ding an sich”, the thing itself. Kant tells us that form is created by our body (mind), as did Buddha. When we see a form we see areas of black separated from white. Buddha tells us that they are one and the same, connected and that the form is created by us. Buddha tells us that our bodies may die, but the actions we committed whilst inhabiting those bodies continue on after the death. If freewill was a more tangible element, then the cause of the action could be stopped by the freedom of our will, curiously though Buddha also said that...

Words: 747 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Eastern and Western Philosophers Comparison

...Eastern and Western Philosophers Comparison Aurelia Williams University of Phoenix Axia College 03/12/2011 Eastern and Western philosophical views are greatly different. The philosophy of eastern philosophers tends to deal more with religion whereas western philosophy does not. I will compare the views of western philosopher John Dewey and eastern philosopher Siddhartha Gautama. Born in 1859, John Dewey observed many trials such as World War I and World War II, emancipation, slavery, the Civil War, and women fight for the right to vote. His words were an integral part of the history of the United States (Moore & Bruder, 2008 p. 223). Dewey was an instrumentalism pragmatist because he believed that the actions and thoughts of humans were instruments used in problem solving. He has the thought that nature is experience and that everyone experiences things differently. Dewey believed that each person could take the exact same object and perceive its use as something completely different. For example, one person may see a banana as just a piece of fruit but another person may see it as a weapon. It can be a source of lively hood and to another it can be a burden. Dewey was no idealist; he believed that the perception of any object differed from person to person however these perceptions did not define the object. His argument of usage and importance of items...

Words: 788 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

Eastern and Western Philosophers Comparison

...Eastern and Western Philosophers Comparison PHI/105 Eastern philosophies and Western philosophies both make quite a few compelling cases when it comes to their ideas. The particular Eastern philosophy that I find to be most fascinating is that of Buddhism. The Western philosophies of Immanuel Kant were also influential and fascinating to contemplate, though differed with reasoning for their development. These two philosophies have some undeniable similarities and differences. Buddhism is an Eastern philosophy that came to life in India by a prince named Siddhartha Gautama, also known as Buddha after he felt that he found enlightenment. In the beginning, Buddhism was the philosophical response to the problem of suffering. This made it easier to understand that there is more to suffering than one believes. Suffering does not only occur when one goes through physical pain and misery, it is also there and occurs when we go through things like disappointment, frustration, discontent and sorrow. I am almost certain that Buddha’s teachings stem from his own personal experience and the experiences of others that were around him. He was able to learn from the examples of others and himself. I feel this philosophy is very logical. When it comes to Western Philosophy, Immanuel Kant was a German Philosopher who contributed to the philosophical views of religion. He is known for inventing the most famous moral arguments on the existence of God. His criticism towards the...

Words: 696 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Phi 105

...------------------------------------------------- Course Syllabus PHI 105 Introduction to Philosophy Course Start Date: 08/15/2011 Course End Date: 10/16/2011                       Please print a copy of this syllabus for handy reference. Whenever there is a question about what assignments are due or when they are due, please remember this syllabus is considered the ruling document. Copyright Copyright ©2010 by University of Phoenix. All rights reserved. University of Phoenix© is a registered trademark of Apollo Group, Inc. in the United States and/or other countries. Microsoft©, Windows©, and Windows NT© are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries. All other company and product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies. Use of these marks is not intended to imply endorsement, sponsorship, or affiliation. Edited in accordance with University of Phoenix© editorial standards and practices.   Facilitator Information                                                                                                       Larry Waggle, Ph. D. larrywaggle@email.phoenix.edu (University of Phoenix) Unclelahr@live.com (Alternate) 480-330-0953 (MST) Facilitator Availability I am available from 9 a.m.-9 p.m. Arizona Time on most days, but I attempt to reserve Sunday for my family. On Saturdays, I tend to be online in the morning only. If these times are not...

Words: 6678 - Pages: 27

Premium Essay

Easterna Nd Western Philospher Comparison Paper

...Eastern and Western Philosophers Comparison Pape PHI105 David Krause University of Phoenix Axia College What is philosophy? Philosophy is the study of some of the most fundamental questions asked by mankind, such as why we are here and what the purpose of life is. Throughout the history of philosophy, there have been many influential figures coming from all corners of the planet. Despite having worldwide influences, philosophy is usually divided into eastern and western schools of thought. Eastern philosophy is centered on cognitive dimensions that revolve around meditative thinking in order to reach enlightenment, while the western school of thought subscribes to the idea of attaining salvation through a leap of faith This paper shall put forth two philosophers, one from each school of thought, discussing their unique ideas and then shall continue on to compare and contrast their ideals. Siddhartha Gautama was born into a life of privilege and wealth, being the son of a king. When Siddhartha experienced the suffering in the world, he left his wife and child to pursue a path that would uncover the cause of suffering and its cure. “After six years of wandering and meditation, he found enlightenment.” (Moore & Bruder, 2008, p.530) With this attained enlightenment, Siddhartha Gautama took up the handle that he is known by today, Buddha which means “the Enlightened One.” Siddhartha’s new enlightenment led to the creation of Buddhism, which “essentially was a philosophical...

Words: 1371 - Pages: 6

Free Essay

Eastern Educational Philosophies

...Eastern Educational Philosophies Abstract Hinduism, Buddhism, and Confucianism are compared for historical, ideology, and epistemology, searching for Eastern Philosophy compatible to Western Philosophy. A research for possible influences on Education of Philosophy discovered that it was impossible to bring comparisons and even difficult to separate them into the key issues. Colonialism and Nationalism brings the two philosophies together. Even though the Western mindset can appreciate the fascination concepts it may be impossible to blend East and West. However, it is possible to juxtapose the very different philosophies as it may be represented in the arts. Even Western Philosopher who have been influenced by Eastern Philosophy, it is reasonable to believe it is the philosophers attempt to interpret Eastern Philosophy. However, it is impossible to replicate it. Instead the product is a hybrid and independent of either East or West. Eastern Educational Philosophies Eastern philosophy has a long and varied history. Asian ideas are among the oldest in the world. Great thinkers of the East have developed sophisticated cultural and political systems that have influenced other religions as well as western philosophy. This paper will examine ideological, epistemological, and historical differences in Hinduism, Buddhism, and Confucianism. Ways in which these philosophies have shaped higher education theory and practice are of major importance to educators. ...

Words: 2209 - Pages: 9

Premium Essay

Eastern vs. Western Philosophical Differences and Their Cultural Implications

...Questioning vs. Acceptance, Truth vs. Balance: A Comparison of East and West Canyon Law Western cultures have historically differed greatly from their far Eastern counterparts in several ways, be it in lifestyle, government, or worldview. These noticeable differences can be attributed to the West’s and East’s own unique philosophical backgrounds. While Western philosophers such as Locke, John Stuart Mill, and Socrates put large emphasis on the ideals of questioning authority in the search for truth, Eastern dogma—as reflected by Daoism, Confucianism, and Buddhism—assert very different, conflicting values focused on acceptance and obedience of superiors. Because of this disparity of thought process, East and West subscribe to very different schools of thought with regards to individualism, rationalism, and democracy. Jon Stuart Mill, in his book On Liberty, promotes the importance of constant debate of ideas. He argues that all opinions must be heard, whether they are from the majority or a minority of beliefs. He states that, “Judgment is given to men that they may use it… To prohibit what they think pernicious is not claiming from error, but fulfilling the duty incumbent on them, although fallible, of acting on their conscientious conviction. If we were never to act on our opinions, because those opinions may be wrong, we should leave all our interests uncared for, and all our duties underperformed.” (p. 18). In this passage, Mill argues that “judgment,” in this case the...

Words: 2678 - Pages: 11

Premium Essay

Communism Vs Fascism

...It is too obvious that Communism and Fascism resemble each other like two drops of fresh water. However, there are very few historians and sociologists have compared these two greatest expressions of modern totalitarianism, which has a strong ideological stench. The German philosopher and political theorist Hannah Arendt, made the comparison and "The Origins of Totalitarianism," published in 1951, showed that these two social experiments who trounced the twentieth century are twins. If we refer to encyclopedias and essays on the subject, fascism is a political ideology that raises collectivism over individualism, places the state and the nation above individual, rejects the "bourgeois democracy", the free market, capitalist competition,...

Words: 1074 - Pages: 5

Free Essay

Identity Theft

...The Roman Period Timeline of Roman Period Early History * 1000 BC - Latins begin to settle in Italy. * 753 BC - The city is allegedly founded in this year by Romulus and Remus. * 750 BC - Tarpeia besieges cities, and hands it over to the Sabines * 700 BC - Near Rome, the Etruscan civilization more or less begins. * 659 BC - The enemy city of Alba Longa is destroyed by the Romans. * 616 BC - The first Etruscan king of Rome, Tarquinius Priscus establishes a Forum and a Circus Maximus. * c.600 BC - Cloaca Maxima is probably first built around this year. * 578 BC - Servius Tullius becomes the next Etruscan king of Rome * 565 BC - Servian Walls are built. * 534 BC - King Servius is assassinated. * 510 BC - Temple of Jupiter on the Capitol is completed and consecrated. * 509 BC - Lucius Brutus founds the republic and expels the Etruscans and Tarquin the Proud from Rome. * 508 BC - A Treaty is made between Rome and Carthage. * 507 BC - The famous war against the Etruscans begins, featuring hero Horatio. Republic * 499 BC - A battle against foreign tribes commences, including the construction of the Temple of Castor and Pollux. * 396 BC - The Etruscan city of Veio is defeated by the Romans * 390 BC - Rome is sacked by the Gauls after the Battle of the Allia * 380 BC - The once destroyed Servian Wall is reconstructed. * 312 BC - The Via Appia and Aqua Appia are constructed. * 264 - 241 BC - First Punic...

Words: 2326 - Pages: 10

Free Essay

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon

...Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon CHIN 1088 12/15/2015 Fang 1 Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon Let’s look back to the title of this essay. Yes, it is the very film’s name that I would like to talk about. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon was released in China in 2000, and directed by Ang Lee. I believe that lots of people are not unfamiliar to this person. Ang Lee was born on October 23, 1954 in Taipei, Taiwan. His titles are not only a film director, but also producer and screenwriter. Early year, he attended the National Taiwan College of Arts, where he graduated in 1975, and then relocated to the United States, where he studied at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and New York University. Ang Lee made his directorial debut in 1992 with Pushing Hands and earned Academy Award nominations for his next two films, The Wedding Banquet (1993) and Eat Drink Man Woman (1994). His later films include Sense and Sensibility (1995), starring Emma Thompson, Kate Winslet and Hugh Grant, and for which Lee earned an Academy Award nomination for best picture; The Ice Storm (1997); Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000), for which he received four Oscars, four BAFTA Awards, a Golden Globe Award for best director; and Hulk (2003). He also went on to direct Se, Jie (2007) and Taking Woodstock (2009). In 2006, he became the first Asian to win an Academy Award for best director, for his film Brokeback Mountain, a small-budget, low-profile independent film based...

Words: 2770 - Pages: 12

Premium Essay

The Bible Among Myths by John Oswalt

... Seminary. Followed by further education in Theology, triggered a facet of questions during his time at Harvard Divinity. William F. Albright, a scholar proposed the questions the Israelites of the Old Testament and their reasoning about there beliefs. The radical Prolegomena for Oswalts, book sprung up a multitude of questions for him to consider answering his and humanity questions about the godly ideology in religion culture. His statements questions godly character whether it was wrong , right, or believable. He mentions his hypothesis of revelation: as humans we couldn’t possibly be in control of our own purpose and that we need a higher power to sustain us. Comparison is made between religions of Israelite the and ancient near east; the worship of their deity. The thought of serving one deity, then, why were so many other religions evolved? Subliminally, in my words, questions the Biblical integrity and purpose being accredited to for humans to believe as truth. Clearly, this is not to be taken as a debate or disrespect to what the Hebrews believed. It is a matter to open up our thinking as modern scholars and Old Testament Semites (Old Testament scholars). His perception in the introduction hints how we ought to open our mind in placing ourselves in the seat of a scholar. Thinking beyond what we see using credible...

Words: 3505 - Pages: 15

Free Essay

A Task for Strategy

...The power behind the recent surge in Asia’ economy may have developed from the s tenets of one of that continent’ earliest philosophers. s The Confucius Connection: From Cultural Roots To Economic Growth Geert Hofstede Michael Harris Bond J n 1968,the late Nobel-prize-winning mist Gunnar Myrdal published Asian Drama that described tions into the failure in South ment policies different Korea, econo- a book entitled his investigadevelopAsia. a very South however, countries Malaysia, some South and Southeast Asian besides Singapore, such as India, Thailand, and Indonesia drama), (the very also show signs of of economic scene of Myrdal’ s and Southeast drama: Kong, Japan, Twenty years later, we are experiencing kind of Asian Taiwan, Hong an economic takeoff. World Bank data on the average annual growth product rate of per capita gross national the East Asian (see Exhibit 1) confirm and Singapore are now outperforming the United States and Western Europe economically. Western markets are flooded with high-quality, hightechnology products “made in Asia”; the production of cameras, TV sets, and domestic appliances has all but ceased in many Western countries, the automobile business has suffered severely, and President Reagan has had to violate his free-trade principles to save the U.S. microchip industry. It is true that most of the competition is from East, rather than from South or Southeast Asia; lead. The Five Dragons, as these countries...

Words: 7835 - Pages: 32

Free Essay

Humanities

...per answer). The in-class portion of the exam will be worth 100 points. The out-of-class essay will be worth an additional 100 points. See below for the out-of-class essay questions. Ancient Near Eastern & Greek Culture Terms: Trojan War, anthropomorphism, polytheism, monotheism, Archaic Age, Classical Age, Hellenistic Age Art & Artworks: Sculpture: relief sculpture, free-standing sculpture, idealism, naturalism; characteristics of Archaic sculpture, kouros, kore; characteristics of Classical sculpture, Myron, Discus Thrower, Polycleitus, Spear-Bearer, Canon, unknown sculptors, Zeus, Three Goddesses,, Praxiteles, Aphrodite of Knidos; characteristics of Hellenistic sculpture, Laocoon and his Sons, Old Shepherdess ; Architecture, frieze, pediment, entablature, capital, metope, triglyph,; Characteristics of Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian styles, Parthenon, Temple of Athena Nike, Erectheion (with Porch of the Maidens), Propylaia Literature & Drama: epic poetry, Epic of Gilgamesh, Homer, Iliad, Odyssey; Hesiod, Theogony; Theater of Dionysus, tragedy, comedy, Oresteia of Aeschylus, Antigone & Oedipus the King by Sophocles, Medea by Euripides, Lysistrata by Aristophanes, characteristics of tragedy, hubris, hamartia, catharsis Thought: Pre-Socratic Philosophers, Thales, water, Xenophanes, Democritus, atoms; Socrates, Plato & theory of forms, Allegory of the Cave, Republic, Aristotle, criticisms of Plato, soma, psuche, excerpt from Aristotle Roman Culture ...

Words: 794 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

Western Ideals and World War Ii

...Western Ideals and World War II Jahaun Abrams HIS/114 March 26, 2011 Robert Brown Western ideals and World War II Hundreds of philosophers and historians possess the concern of how the modern world has come into being. Many issues, from The Great War to World War II have effects society today. This paper will trace the rise of totalitarianism in Germany as well as other European countries between 1918 and 1939, and the contrast to political developments in Great Britain, France, and the United States. In this paper the subject to explain is the Holocaust in the context of World War II and Western ideals, including the roots of anti-Semitism and intolerance of those considered inferior in Germany, a comparison of anti-Semitic actions in Germany, also an explanation of The Final Solution. This paper concludes with a description of the aftermath of World War II. After World War 1, the German government was facing thousands of difficult problems as society search for someone to blame for the defeat in the First World War. Extremists from all sides sent threats to revolts. The extreme inflation causes Thousands of Germans to have any faith in the German government. Hitler gains control of the Nazi party in the 1920s, an organization, which is anti-Semitic. Hitler gains popular political credibility by placing the responsibility on the Jews for Germany's defeat in the First World War. Hitler also blames Jews for Germany’s economic problems. “What is less understood...

Words: 2056 - Pages: 9

Premium Essay

Greek and Roman Comparison

...Greek and Roman Comparison Lisa Lain HIS275CA June 1, 2015 Zachary Lenz Greek and Roman Comparison The Greek and Roman empires were very important to the history of the world. With their empires came religions and philosophies. While their religions were much different, both the Greeks and the Romans turned to Christianity at some point. Their philosophies were also quite different. They each studied the building blocks of the universe and created their own theories. With any empire come societal struggles. Both the Greek and Roman empires dealt with such struggles but the main aspect of the struggles varied. Territorial expansion was very important in both the Greek and the Roman empires. They both sought out to find more land and fought for the land they found through wars and battles. Trade and commerce were a major contribution to both empires as well. While both empires traded different things both within their empires, they also traded outside of it. The Roman and Greek civilizations also dealt with a decline in civilization. The reasoning behind their declines was different, but both empires contributed to their own decline. Religions and Philosophies While the Greek and Roman religions differed greatly, they both turned to Christianity at one point. In the beginning religions, the Greeks and Romans alike believed in many gods. Each of these gods was believed to be a god of certain events. Both the Greek and the Romans worshipped their gods at temples...

Words: 6976 - Pages: 28