Eastern and Western philosophies differ from "summary" of How the World Thinks by Julian Baggini
One fundamental way in which Eastern and Western philosophies diverge is in their approach to the self. In the Western tradition, the self is often seen as an individual, autonomous entity, separate from others and the world around it. This idea is rooted in the philosophy of thinkers like René Descartes, who famously declared, "I think, therefore I am." In contrast, Eastern philosophies such as Buddhism and Taoism tend to view the self as interconnected with all things, lacking a fixed and permanent essence. This perspective is reflected in the Buddhist concept of anatta, or "no-self," which suggests that the self is an illusion created by the mind. Another key difference between Eastern and Western philosophies lies in their attitudes towards knowledge and truth. In the Western tradition, knowledge is often pursued through the use of reason and logic, with an emphasis on empirical evidence and rational argumentation. This approach can be traced back to the ancient Greek philosophers like Aristotle and Plato, who sou...
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