ACLC COLLEGE OF BUKIDNON

Department of (Business Management)

BSBA-1NA

The Western and Eastern Thought and Anthropology

Submitted by:

Clyde Posillo

Esteban Estolano

Julie Ann Siem

Kinneth Cubcuban

Liezel Lambiguit

Rejean Asturias

Roxanne Grave

November 11, 2022

 Table of Contents

Title Page Number

Abstract 2
Introduction 3
Conclusion 5
 1

Our group report is about the Eastern and Western thoughts and Anthropology. As a group, we
selected our topics and shared information regarding the title. From our research, we ensured
that our selected topics are connected to the existing title we will report. At the end of the
research, we had recurring ideas. As such, we created questions to be answered in this report.
The questions are:

1. Why we need to study culture and human society?

2. What are the Eastern philosophies about self?
3. What are the Western thoughts about self?
4. What is the difference between the thoughts of Eastern and Western regarding the self?

Table 1. The Group Task

Individual Task Completion time Name of Student

Anthropology and Culture 1 day Clyde Posilio
Eastern thoughts about Self 1 day Esteban Estolano and Leziel
Lambiguit
Western thoughts about Self 1 day Kinneth Cubcuban and Julie
Ann Siem
Difference between Eastern 2 days Roxanne Grave
and Western Regarding the
Self
Written Report 5 days Clyde Posillo
Esteban Estolano
Julie Ann Siem
Kinneth Cubcuban
Liezel Lambiguit
Rejean Asturias (not active)
Roxanne Grave
 2

Abstract

Culture and cultural practices have great effects on people’s ways of life and changes as
well. Different cultures with varying environments tend to create different perception or thoughts
of the self. One of the most common distinction between cultures of the people are the cultures
of Eastern whom represents the Asia versus the Western represents the Europe and North
America. There were four thoughts and beliefs Eastern were famous of, the Confucianism,
Taoism, Hinduism and Buddhism. They view selflessness by living in the harmonious life with
nature and society. In Western thoughts, monotheistic religion is the most influential, prioritizes
the self at all costs. The two have different thoughts on how self being portrayed.
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Introduction

Anthropology is the study of human societies, cultures and their development. It comes
from the Greek word ‘Anthropos’ means “human” and the suffix -logy means “the study of”.
Culture and cultural practices have great effects on people’s ways of life and changes as well.
Different cultures with varying environments tend to create different perception or thoughts of
the self. One of the most common distinction between cultures of the people are the cultures of
Eastern whom represents the Asia versus the Western represents the Europe and North
America.

Since most of the theories about the self comes from the western research, we also
highlighted the eastern thoughts that have influence our definition and understanding the self.
Eastern thoughts focus on the ultimate meaning of human life. There were four thoughts and
beliefs Eastern were famous of, the Confucianism, Taoism, Hinduism and Buddhism.
Confucianism is a system of ethics devised by the Chinese scholar Confucius. It focus on
having a harmonious social life. Self-cultivation is the ultimate purpose of life. It believes in the
golden rule “Do not do unto others what you would not want others to do to you”. In Taoism, Lao
Tzu believes self is an extension of the cosmos, not of social relationships. The perfect man has
no self and the selfless person leads a balance life in harmony with both nature and society.
Target is to have a balanced between yin and yang. Another one is Hinduism comes from India
believe in the doctrines of samsara (the continuous cycle of life and death and reincarnation)
and karma (the universal law of cause and effect). Hindu thoughts in “atman” or the belief on
soul. The philosophy holds that all living creatures have a soul, and they are part of the supreme
soul. Lastly, Buddhism believe that human life is a cycle of suffering and rebirth, but if one
achieves a state of enlightenment (nirvana), it is possible to escape the cycle forever. Sidharta
Gautama was the first person to reach this state of enlightenment and still known today as
Buddha. The self as such does not exist, but is an illusion. There is no God; no matter neither is
there a phenomenal world.

In western thoughts, begins in the ancient Greek philosophy of the pre-Socrates.

Western thinkers are Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, Descartes and Kant. Socrates is the founding
father of Western philosophies. Plato and Aristotle thought by many people to be the father of
Western Philosophers. Descartes holds the title, father of Modern Philosophy. Kant is easily one
of the four or five most influential philosophers in the Western culture. Monotheistic religion is
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the most influential in Western believes that worshipping one God while denying the existence
of the other God. It has three major beliefs that specifically focus on the world, the Judaism,
Islam and Christianity. Believes that the one God created the heaven and the earth. In other
words, they believe that self is the soul and the soul is who we are. Judaism teaches that
permeating a human’s entire being is a divine element, a breath of God called neshamah (soul).
The soul related to the intellect and awareness of God, which is pure and divine. For Islam, self-
actualization means to achieve perfection and divine relation. Muslims believe that human can
progress with will and effort. In Christianity culture that prioritizes the self at all costs, the Bible
teaches them to die to their old selves and to “put on the new self, created after the likeness of
God in true righteousness and holiness. Therefore, Western thoughts primary aim is
improvement of the self and the soul.
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Conclusion

In conclusion, in the eastern thoughts the self is not the focus. Their beliefs situate the
self within a bigger context. In striving to become a better person, one does not create a self
above other people or nature but a self that is beneficial to the community as well as to be in
harmony with anything else. They are keeping in low profile and considers boasting oneself can
disrupt social relations. Western perspectives does not discount the role of environment and
society in the formation of self but the focus is always looking towards the self. For a western
influence thought, one has to compare himself in order to be better, create associations and
bask in the glory of the group for self-esteem, in other words putting primacy to the realization of
supremacy of the self.