Salome Coronel

March 7, 2014


Eastern Philosophy vs. Western Philosophy

If someone ever asks about philosophy the first philosophers to be recalled are
Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle, the big three. These philosophers brought innovation into the
human mind, but we also have to remember there are some other important philosophical
figures remaining in the East. These are figures that marked history by their new insights
and ideologies that gave life a whole new perspective.

One of these important ideologies emerged on the east, Buddhism. A doctrine
founded in India by Siddhartha Gautama, or mostly known as Buddha, the Indian term for
enlightened one. Siddharthas origins were from a wealthy high-class family, he never
left his house until he was 29. The first time he stepped out of his comfort he was able to
see all the human misery and injustice, this is how Buddhism started to emerge. Through
all the sacrifices, experiences, and rebellion against the Hinduism doctrine Siddhartha
purposed that in order to stop suffering humans should understand the Four Noble Truths,
which were an approach to explain why humanity suffers.

The first noble truth says that were born to suffer, life is misery. The second noble
truth is that the origin of our suffering comes from desire. The third noble truth states that
in order to end this suffering is by depleting our desire, by entering the state of nirvana, just
like Siddhartha did he left all his wealth to live with the most basic things in life. Finally
the fourth noble truth says that nirvana is attained by espousing certain moral attitudes and
beliefs the ones that make the well known eightfold path. Buddhism is a philosophy that
has as a purpose for humans to find happiness trough simplicity, detaching from all the
material and harmful objects that has led our society to the constant sorrow it lives in. This
is an example of eastern philosophy, which determines our natural world as something that
doesnt run under any law, its just there because it is. All laws are human product, which
guide them unto constant desire and agony. Eastern philosophy just like Buddhism has as
purpose to have a more profound understanding of reality, what humans face on a daily
basis.

On the other hand we also have Western philosophy, its a current, which is
influenced by the concept of God as the absolute king of the universe. This philosophy
states that God created the natural laws, the role of philosophy within this ideology is to
discover how this God created the laws that influence the conduct of the universe trough
the help of science and logical reasoning. Western philosophy has as a purpose to attain a
deeper knowledge trough symbolic thought. Western has a very logical way to view the
world; it relies among science, math, and any other discipline that involves logical
reasoning. Even though Western is characterized by logical reasoning it also combines it
with religion. Religion is assessed trough the principle of truth; this is a model that intends
to reveal the most accurate reality. Western philosophers like Aristotle studied disciplines
such as biology, meteorology, and physics, the reasons why these disciplines appeared at
the same time as the western philosophers was because of this ideology of achieving truth
trough logic. Before all these disciplines were given their names they were known as
natural philosophy, all these disciplines are the responsible for explaining outer space,
Salome Coronel
March 7, 2014


how earth and its organisms interact, and how the universe functions. All these disciplines
have provided the world with concrete explanations of why things happen.

Even though Western and Eastern philosophy have big differences they have some
aspects that leave them in the same position. These two philosophies have as a purpose to
understand reality as much as they can; both do it with different methods but seeking for
the same answer. Both believe that the most accurate way to understand the world is trough
daily experience; this way humans are able to develop their own understanding and purpose
and question everything and anything they want to.

Eastern and Western philosophies have left a legacy in the world that until
nowadays humanity keeps on contributing to them. These are philosophies that should be
taught up to a certain extent. For example Eastern philosophy should be taught to a limit
were people dont feel pressured of forced to follow ideologies such as Buddhist or Taoist.
These are life philosophies that not everyone can manage. On the other hand Western
philosophy has contributed to the world in many scientific advances, this is a philosophy
that should be exploited and explored to the maximum since there is always something new
to learn or to find from the disciplines this philosophy offers. These are philosophies that
have and are changing the world, since they have demonstrated there is no absolute truth or
reality for none of us.



Bibliography

Bor, N. (n.d.). Philosophy. Retrieved March 5, 2014, from Atomic physics and Human
knowledge: http://www.staff.uni-giessen.de/~gk1415/philosophy.htm
Fieser, J. (n.d.). The History of Philosophy. Retrieved March 5, 2014, from CHAPTER 4:
CLASSICAL EASTERN PHILOSOPHY: http://www.utm.edu/staff/jfieser/class/110/4-
eastern.htm
Gordon, O. (n.d.). A Brief History of Psychology. Retrieved March 5, 2014, from Eastern
Philosophy:
http://www.psych.utah.edu/gordon/Classes/Psy4905Docs/PsychHistory/Cards/Eas
tern.html