University of Eastern Philippines UNIT 1- THE SELF FROM VARIOUS PERSPECTIVE

Understanding the Self_G.E.3

Module 5_The Self in Western & Oriental Thought

Republic of the Philippines

UNIVERSITY OF EASTERN PHILIPPINES
University Town, Northern Samar
Web: uep.edu.ph; Email: uepnsofficial@gmail.com

UNDERSTANDING THE SELF

G.E. 3

Prepared and Compiled by:

JOSEPHINE B. TAN, PhD CLARIZZA A. LOBERIO, EdD
HILLARY D. FRANCISCO FRANZ MARTIN N. JONSON

1
University of Eastern Philippines UNIT 1- THE SELF FROM VARIOUS PERSPECTIVE
Understanding the Self_G.E.3
Module 5_The Self in Western & Oriental Thought

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Module 5: THE SELF IN WESTERN AND ORIENTAL THOUGHT

Introduction 4
Objectives 4
- Individualistic vs. Collective Self 5
- The Social Construction of the Self in Western Thought 7
- The Self as Embedded in Relationships and Through Spiritual 8
Developments in Confucian Thought- Eastern Construct
Summary 9
Learning Assessment 10
References 12

2
 University of Eastern Philippines UNIT 1- THE SELF FROM VARIOUS PERSPECTIVE
Understanding the Self_G.E.3
Module 5_The Self in Western & Oriental Thought

The self in Western & Oriental Thought

3
 University of Eastern Philippines UNIT 1- THE SELF FROM VARIOUS PERSPECTIVE
Understanding the Self_G.E.3
Module 5_The Self in Western & Oriental Thought

5
The self in Western & Oriental Thought

INTRODUCTION:
Eastern and western cultures are dramatically different in a variety of ways. The types of food eaten,
the architecture, philosophy and mannerisms are all examples of how different styles of thinking can produce
drastically different ways of life. For years experts in the field have studied the differences between western
and eastern lifestyles and found sharp contrasts between the two cultures.
Identity is a major difference between the east and west. Numerous studies have revealed a
fundamental difference in the perception of self. While westerners' image involves mostly self-identity,
easterners' image involve the community. Thus one major difference is that the west is heavily individualistic
while the east is a much more collectivist society. Westerners tend to value success and self-improvement
whereas easterners focus more on group achievements. Westerners also value personal choice and freedom
more than easterners.

OBJECTIVES:
At the end of this learning module you are expected to:
a. Distinguish the eastern from the western constructs of the self;
b. Differentiate the individualistic self from the collective self
c. Explain the spirituality and philosophy of Confucius.

4
 University of Eastern Philippines UNIT 1- THE SELF FROM VARIOUS PERSPECTIVE
Understanding the Self_G.E.3
Module 5_The Self in Western & Oriental Thought

Individualistic versus Collective Self

The concept of psyche in western model of the soul. Western traditions are always
preoccupied by the duality of the body and soul. Plato started with the idea that the soul inhabited the world
of ideas, while the body descended to the world of the sensible. The ideal self is there up above the heavens
while the bodily self or the soul imprisoned in a finite material body, by which we know today is only thrown
into the oblivion of remembering that the soul used to know while still living in the world of ideas.

Even Aristotle did not solve this problem of

duality. He proposed the hylemorphic theory, meaning
that the human person is composed of matter or the
body and form or the soul. Matter is changeable while
the form remains. This means that the body will grow
and eventually die and decompose and will be
transformed into something else. The form however
remains unchanged. But unlike Plato, Aristotle asserted
that the body is equally important as the soul, because
the former will give the latter the knowledge it ought to
have through sense.

This is very much similar to the duality and soul of Descartes. The body is the only gathering
information through the senses, although he never always trusted the information coming from the senses. It
is the reason that processes all information and makes sense with experiences of the body. In an attempt to
solve the issue of duality, Descartes proposed that the body and the soul fused in one very important part of
the brain- the pineal gland.
Still, the western concept of the self is very much anchored on the individuality of the psyche.
The individual self is always in a struggle to reconcile the connection between the ideal self or perfect soul
and the limited self or sinful body. This dichotomy drives us in the understanding of the self as lifetime toil for
self-perfection. What is important in this concept is the development of the self from conception to death.
In other words, from the moment of conception, the self is molded and prepared to live a good
and happy life. A daughter, for example will provided with the best possible upbringing by the parents. She
will be sent to the best school in town in view bestowing on her the necessary knowledge and skills to be
independent and successful professional in adult years. She is expected to compete with other professionals
in her field and become the best in her line of work. She will eventually find a partner and raise children the
way she was raised. This is such an example of an ideal self that manifests the perfection of the soul.
When on the contrary, the self did not have the opportunity to be raised, and to grow and die
a good happy life, the self becomes a waste as it did not live the ideals of the soul. The lone purpose of the
self is therefore is to live according to the ideals of the soul. The Greeks call this arête- the ultimate goodness,
perfection, excellence. All of life’s directions in as much as the western individualistic self is concerned, are
geared towards self-perfection.
Although the self in the eastern perspective also wants to attain perfection in mediation and
enlightenment, there has never been an issue of dualism. Easterners do not have the notion of the separation
of the body and soul. It is always one self. The Atman for example in Indian philosophy is considered to be
5
 University of Eastern Philippines UNIT 1- THE SELF FROM VARIOUS PERSPECTIVE
Understanding the Self_G.E.3
Module 5_The Self in Western & Oriental Thought

the seat of consciousness. The Atman may have a different levels of consciousness but there is always one
self. Even death is considered to be just another level of consciousness but the atman continues to exist
because it is not dependent on the body. This in fact is also the concept of the non-self in Buddhism. In this
concept of the self is considered as nothing but an evolution and transformation of inner consciousness.
Further, the Confucian philosophy from China emphasized the relational self and social
understanding of the self. Scholars read Confucius’ philosophy in two ways. One interpretation says that the
ideal –thus moral- self is always able to forego individual interest in view of prioritizing the social interest. In
a way, the self is the ideal of a selfless person who is willing to forget about his self-interest in favor of the
interest of the community. In this conception, there still the individual self is subsumed in the interest of the
social self.
The second interpretation of Confucian thought asserts that the individual self and the social
self are not mutually exclusive but are metaphysically and profoundly related. The individual character of the
ideal self cannot be separated from the social character of the self. It means that the self is constructively
connected with the pursuit of the social self. Let us take an example of many family dynamics in which, when
in dire poverty one or other sibling will be asked to stop going to school so that the family will be able to send
the rest of the children to school to continue with their education. Here, the self is willing to sacrifice and may
forget to assert self-interest in order to pursue the resolve of the whole family. The same self-sacrifice may
be manifested in groups, communities and nation.
The middle eastern traditions are also very much associated with communal self. One
example is the Judaeo-Christian philosophies which put emphasis on the unity of a nation- the chosen people
of God (Exodus 19:15). The biblical prophets would always find themselves reminding the people, as
community of believers, to be faithful to the loving compassion of God. Even prophet Mohammad of Islamic
traditions highlights the oneness of Allah and the inclusivity of Islam as a religion. Islamic ethics, in the words
of Mohammad asserts that “my community will never agree to an error”(Esposito, 2005). Both traditions stress
the importance of the community over the self. The eastern philosophy therefore, is more attuned to the
collective dimension of the self as opposed to the western individualistic ideals of the self.

6
 University of Eastern Philippines UNIT 1- THE SELF FROM VARIOUS PERSPECTIVE
Understanding the Self_G.E.3
Module 5_The Self in Western & Oriental Thought

Features of Collectivism Features of Individualism

-Each person is encouraged to be an active player
in society, to do what is best for society as a whole
rather than themselves.
- The rights of families, communities and the
collective supersede those of the individual.
- Rules promote unity, brotherhood, and
selflessness
-Working with others and cooperating is the norm;
everyone supports each other.
- as a community, family or nation more than as
individual.
-“I” identity
- Promotes individual goals, initiative and
achievement.
-Individual rights are seen as being the most
important. Rules attempt to ensure self-importance
and individualism
- Independence is valued; there is much less of a
drive to help other citizens or communities than in
collectivism
- Relying or being dependent on others is
frequently seen as shameful.
- People are encouraged to do things on their own;
to rely on themselves
-people strive for their own successes.

The Social Construction of the Self in Western Thought

Social construction is shared assumption or perception of the people in society. The Western
social construct of the self can be characterized in three ways. First is the Individualistic Self. At a very
young age, the child is already taught to pursue what is best for sel. Thus later in adult life, the measure of a
successful life is when the self is able to fulfill life-goals set for and by the self. The individualistic self is always
conceived as the autonomous bounded entity. For one to be autonomous, one must be able to show
independence.
Relevant to independence brings about the second western social construct of the self which
is self-sufficiency. This construct presumes that a successful self must be able to supply one’s needs about
external assistance. Being self-sufficient also implies confidence in one’s capacity to provide what the self
needs from one’s own resources and the authority. Therefore it is important for the self to establish one’s
power and accumulate the needed knowledge and resources so that one will be able to provide one’s needs.
The third social construct is the self being rational. In the western practice, there is not time
for the self to be weak and emotional. The self must not waste resources on meditation and other
metaphysical cognitions but to be constantly rational and reasonable. The self masters the causal relationship
of things. Everything must be explained by logic and reason. Phenomenon outside the logical realm are
simply discredited and rejected. This explains the western logical positivist movement. It contends that what
is rational and reasonable are only those which can be logically viable. The successful self therefore is
grounded on one’s investment on reason and logical thinking.

It also necessarily follows that when the self adapts the

rational-logical conceptions of things, one must be
scientific. The self marvels at the safety measures of
scientific procedures. Scientific researchers ascertain
the cause and effect relationship of things and
phenomena. Safety is derived from the mastery of the
phenomena concerning the self. This brings about the
ideals of self-efficacy in which everything can be
explained by science and everything can be provided
for by science. The successful self embraces the
scientific conception of things that affect one’s growth,
psycho-physical development, intellectual capacity,
interaction with others and involvement in societal
institutions and infrastructures.

7
 University of Eastern Philippines UNIT 1- THE SELF FROM VARIOUS PERSPECTIVE
Understanding the Self_G.E.3
Module 5_The Self in Western & Oriental Thought

The Self as Embedded in Relationships and Through Spiritual Development in Confucian Thought-
Eastern Construct
Eastern social infrastructures are mostly seen as contrary to the western individualistic
construct. The Eastern Social Construct is primarily viewed as collectivistic and is always grounded on nature.
There were many eastern traditions that flourished in the history of thought that were firmly based on how
the self relates to others, to the Divine Being and nature.
We have learned in the previous discussions that the Eastern Traditions are primarily
composed of ancient Asian philosophies from India, China, Japan and the Middle East. The Hindu and
Buddhist traditions sprang from India. The Confucian and Daoist traditions originated from China. Japan also
developed Shinto traditions. The Judaeo- Christian and Islamic traditions laid their foundations in the Middle
East. However, in this particular section, we will focus on the Confucian spirituality and philosophy.

Confucius or Kung Fu Zi ascertained the ancient Chinese

civilization by establishing social order. The society will be led by
wise leaders who guaranteed peace, prosperity and harmony.
Here in the Confucian system we can immediately notice the
primacy of the society over the individual person. In fact
Confucius believed that the threat to social order is only caused
by the unchecked selfish desires of individuals. The selfish
therefore in the Confucian system is a person within the society
who exhibits refinement and compassion.
The refined and compassionate person was what the
Confucius envisioned as junzi. It is the new self formed in the right
education under the virtuous teacher as the role model. Central
in the educational formation of junzi are humanistic learning,
refined personal manners and the capacity to govern the
community wisely with compassion. In principle, the new self of
junzi-the sage king- brings to life the virtues of ancestors to the
new order of society. The self is therefore is the transmitter of the
ancient virtues to the new world.

To carry out the transmission, one must have the correct procedures and protocol. In Chinese
philosophy, religious rituals are of great importance. The word li originally means sacrifice. In time, the
principle of li is better understood as refined manner of spiritual rituals ad sacrifices, and protocols in honoring
the ancestors. Li is both the restraining and refinement of the self. The virtuous self must be able to practice
correct customary procedures and protocols governing all life.
Another concept in Confucian philosophy is the principle of ren. Ren is the character of the
self that sincerely shows compassion for others. The self must embody human-heartedness by prioritizing
the self-interest of others. The sage king-jenzi- is characterized by his practice of ren in putting others first
before the self.
Although Confucius was not given the opportunity to become the leader of China, his principles
of jenzi, li, and ren became influential all throughout China even unto many other modern covilizations of the
world.

8
 University of Eastern Philippines UNIT 1- THE SELF FROM VARIOUS PERSPECTIVE
Understanding the Self_G.E.3
Module 5_The Self in Western & Oriental Thought

SUMMARY:

To conclude, we commonly hear the dichotomy between the east and west. The eastern
traditions are known for their communal and spiritual constructs. On the other hand, the western traditions
developed a construct of being individualistic, self-reliant, rational and scientific. In this chapter we were able
to distinguish the individualistic and collective self. We clarified the any western constructs of the self vis-à-
vis the relational and construct of the east.
In this section we have also discovered that there are still many other traditions by which we
can derive the conception of the self. We have initially identified the African Traditions and conceptions of the
self. We have also noted the distinction between the traditions of the north versus the south. Our
understanding of the self therefore, must not be limited to dividing differences between east and west.
We continue to unify different traditions and philosophies about the self as we explore the
different aspects of the self and identity in the next module.

9
 University of Eastern Philippines UNIT 1- THE SELF FROM VARIOUS PERSPECTIVE
Understanding the Self_G.E.3
Module 5_The Self in Western & Oriental Thought

LEARNING ASSESSMENT
Text comparison
Compare and contrast the following paired texts. Give emphasis on (a) the concept of the self,
and (b) the distinction between the eastern and western philosophies

Li is a kind of balance wheel of conduct, is a valuable Live your life as though every act were to become a
virtue, and it establishes harmony. universal law.
-Confucius -Immanuel Kant

In the still mind, in the depths of meditation, the self The two operations of our understanding intuition
reveals itself. and deduction, on which alone we have said we
-Bhagavad Gita must rely in the acquisition of knowledge.
-Rene Descartes

The body is the Bodhi tree,
The mind is like a clearer mirror
At all times we must strive to polish it,
And must not let the dust collect.
-Shenxiu
A hero is born among a hundred, a wise man is
found among a thousand, but an accomplished one
might not be found even among a hundred thousand
men
-Plato

_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
10
 University of Eastern Philippines UNIT 1- THE SELF FROM VARIOUS PERSPECTIVE
Understanding the Self_G.E.3
Module 5_The Self in Western & Oriental Thought

_____________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________.
Discussion:
A. What is the distinction between the eastern and western conception of the self?
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
B. What makes the self the authentic self?
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
C. With the eastern and western traditions, which influence are you mist attuned to? Explain.
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________

11
 University of Eastern Philippines UNIT 1- THE SELF FROM VARIOUS PERSPECTIVE
Understanding the Self_G.E.3
Module 5_The Self in Western & Oriental Thought

REFERENCES:

Villafuerte, S.L., Quillope, Al, Tunac, Rudjane, Borja, Estela(2018), Understanding the Self.
NIEME Publishing House, Co. Ltd.,Cubao, Quezon City.

Bresnan, Patrick. 2003. Awakening, An introduction to the history of eastern thought, 2 nd ed. Pearson
Education, Upper Saddle River, New Jersey, USA.
Burns, Kevin . 2006. Eastern Philosophy. Arcturus Publishing Ottawa.
Brunk, A.P., & Gibbons, F.X. (2007). Social Comparison : The end of a theory and the emergence of a field.
Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes. 102(1), 3-21.
Center for Studies in Human Stress (2017). Stress. Retrieved January 3, 2017 from
https://humansress.ca/stress/what-is-stress/stressors
Descartes, Rene. 2013. Meditations on First Philosophy, Belly Andrew, Ed., Ian Johnson, Trans., Broadview
Press, Canada.
DeVita, Philip R., and Armstrong James D. .2002. Distant Mirrors: America as a Foreign culture, 3 rd Ed.
Wadsworth, Belmont California.
Esposito, John 2005, Islamic History. Britannica Educational Printing. New York USA.
Freud, Sigmund.1923 “The Ego and the Id” ISE 19;1-66 . 2011. An Outline of Psycho Analysis (Reprint).
Martino Publishing, ISBN1891396633
Gripaldo, Rolando M. (nd). Filipino Philosophy; A western Tradition in an Eastern Setting.
http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.1001.8144&rep=rep1&type=pdf
(2009). Filipino Philosophy, Traditional Approach, Part 1, Section 1, 3 rd Edition. C & E Publishing,
Quezon City, Philippines.
Hawkins, Nicole, et. al. 2010. The impact of exposure to the Thin-ideal Media image on Women. Retrieved
on August 17, 2010 @ https://doi.org/10/1080/10640260490267751
McLoud, Aminah Beverly, Scot W. Hibbard, Laith Saud. 2013. An Introduction to Islam in the 21 st Century.
Wiley-Blackwell Ltd. Publications, West Sussex, United Kingdom.
Mou, Bo. 2009. Chinese Philosophy A-Z. Edinburgh University Press Ltd., Edinburgh.
Quito, Emerita. 1991. The Merging Philosophy of East and West. De La Salle University, Manila. Philippines.
The Editors of Encyclopedia Britannica, 2018. Huangdi, Chinese Mythological Emperor. Retrieved January
13, 2018, https://www.britannica.com/topic/huangdi.
Tzu, Sun. 2003. The Art of War, Dallas Galvin, Ed. Galvin Ed. And Noble Classics, New York, USA.
.

12