10/17/19

• Philosophy started from the east. One of the earliest Chinese

rulers, Huang-Ti, meaning the “Yellow Emperor” was credited for
his introduction of wooden houses in villages, carts, boats and
the clever design of the bow and arrow. This wise emperor also
introduced and systematized Chinese writing and literature. He is
the champion of Chinese culture. He organized government
institutions and pioneered the use of coin in commerce. It was
also during his reign when the Chinese people perfected the craft
of silk production by breeding silkworms. Most importantly, the
Yellow Emperor was credited for his leadership style. He led his
people with virtues comparable to the teachings of early Daoism,
and with highest accord to natural law. He ensured order and
prosperity among the inhabitants.

1. Individualistic vs Collective Self

• Almost 2000 years before the first western text was
introduced, the eastern civilization was already so • The concept of the psyche is a western model of the
advanced that it had accounts of the virtuous soul. Western traditions are always preoccupied by
philosophies of China, the famous civil codes like the the duality of the body and soul. Plato started with
the idea that the soul inhabited the world of ideas,
Babylonian Code of Hammurabi, and the earliest
religious texts of India like the Rigveda. Noticeably the while the body descended to the world of the
eastern thoughts are concerned about the collective sensible. The ideal self is there up above the heavens
life in the community. This is very much in contrast while the bodily self, or the soul imprisoned in a finite
with the individualistic concepts of the west. material body, by which we know today is only
thrown into the oblivion of remembering what the
soul used to know while still living in the world of
ideas.

• Aristotle proposed the hylemorphic theory, meaning that the human

person is composed of matter or the body and form or the soul. Matter
• The western concept of the self is very much anchored on
is changeable while the form remains. This means that the body will
grow and eventually die and decompose and will be transformed into the individuality of the psyche. The individual self is always in
something else. The form however remains unchanged. But unlike Plato, a struggle to reconcile the connection between the ideal self
Aristotle asserted that the body is equally important as the soul, because or perfect soul and the limited self or sinful body. This
the former will give the latter the knowledge it ought to have through dichotomy drives us in the understanding of the self as
senses. lifetime toil for self-perfection. What is important in this
• This is very much similar to the duality of body and soul of Descartes. concept of the self is the development of the self from
The body is the one gathering information through the senses, although conception to death.
he never always trusted the information coming from the senses. It is the
reason that processes all information and makes sense with experiences • In other words, from the moment of conception, the self is
of the body. In an attempt to solve the issue of duality, Descartes moulded and prepared to live a good and happy life.
proposed that the body and the soul fused in one very important part of
the brain – the pineal gland.

1
 10/17/19

• Although the self in the eastern perspective also wants to attain

perfection in meditation and enlightenment, there has never been an
• When, on the contrary, the self did not have the issue of dualism. Easterners do not have the notion of the separation
opportunity to be raised, and to grow, and to die a of the body and soul. It is always one self.
good and happy life, the self becomes a waste as it did
not live the ideals of the soul.
• The Atman, for example in Indian philosophy is considered to be the
seat of consciousness. The atman may have different levels of
• The lone purpose of the self, therefore is to live consciousness but there is always one self. Even death is considered
according to the ideals of the soul. The Greeks call to be just another level of consciousness but the atman continues to
this arête – the ultimate goodness, perfection, exist because it is not dependent on the body.
excellence. All of life’s directions, inasmuch as the
western individualistic self is concerned, are geared
towards self-perfection. • This in fact is also the concept of the non-self in Buddhism. In this
concept 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 the social
• The second interpretation of Confucian thought
understanding of the self. Scholars read Confucius’
asserts that the individual self and the social self are
philosophy in two ways. One interpretation says that the
not mutually exclusive but are metaphysically and
ideal - thus moral - self is always able to forego profoundly related. The individual character of the
individual interest in view of prioritizing the social
ideal self cannot be separated from the social
interest. In a way, the self is the ideal of a selfless
character of the self. It means that the self is
person who is willing to forget about his self-interest in
constructively connected with the pursuit of the social
favor of the interest of the community. In this
self. The self is willing to sacrifice and may forget to
conception, there is still the individual self and the self is assert self-interest in order to pursue the resolve of the
mutually exclusive as the social self. However the
whole family, groups, communities and nation.
individual self is subsumed in the interest of the social
self.

Features of Individualism Features of Collectivism

• The Middle Eastern traditions are also very much associated with - "I" identity - Each person is encouraged to be an
communal self. One example is the Judaeo-Christian philosophies - Promotes individua l goals, in itiative and active player in society, to do what is best
which put emphasis on the unity of a nation – the chosen people achievement. for society as a whole rather than
of God (Exodus 19:5). The biblical prophets would always find themselves.
themselves reminding the people, as community of believers, to - Individualrights are seen as be ing the most - The rights of families, communities, and
be faithful to the loving compassion of God. Even prophet important. the collective supersede those of the
Mohammad of Islamic traditions highlights the oneness of Allah - Rules attempt to ensure se lf-importance individual.
and the inclusivity of Islam as a religion. Islamic ethics, in the and individualism. - Rules promote unity, brotherhood, and
words of Mohammad asserts that “[m]y community will never selflessness.
- Independence is valued; there is much less of - Working with others and cooperating is
agree to an error” (Esposito, 2005). Both traditions stress the
a drive to help other citizens or communities the norm; everyone supports each other.
importance of the community over the self. The eastern
than in collectivism. - as a community, family or nation more
philosophy therefore, is more attuned to the collective
- Relying or being dependent on others is than as an individual
dimension of the self as opposed to the western individualistic
frequently seen as shameful.
ideals of the self.
- People are encouraged to do things on their

2
 10/17/19

• Independence and self-reliance are greatly stressed and

Individualistic Self valued. In general, people tend to distance themselves
psychologically and emotionally from each other. One
• The individual identifies primarily with self, with the needs of may choose to join groups, but group membership is not
the individual being satisfied before those of the group. essential to one’s identity or success.
Looking after and taking care of oneself, being self-sufficient, • Individualistic doers are self-assured and very independent
guarantees the well-being of the group. people. They are quiet and realistic, very rational,
extremely matter of fact people. They strongly cultivate
• Individualism, states that each individual is acting on his or her their individualism and enjoy applying their abilities to
own, making his/her own choices, and to the extent he/she new tasks. But they are also very spontaneous and
interacts with the rest of the group. impulsive persons who like to follow their sudden
inspirations.

The Collective Self

• Collectivism views the group as the primary entity, with the
individuals lost along the way. CONCLUSION

• The survival and success of the group ensures the well-being •Both collectivist and individualistic
of the individual, so that by considering the needs and feelings cultures have their failings. People in
of others, one protects oneself. individualis t cultures are susceptible to
• Harmony and the interdependence of group members are loneliness, and people in collectivist
stressed and valued.
cultures can have a strong fear of
• It sees the group as the important element, and individuals are
just members of the group. The group has its own values
rejection.
somehow different from those of the individual members.

EXAMPLES OF COUNTRIES WITH EXAMPLES OF COUNTRIES WITH

GENERALLY INDIVIDUALISTIC CULTURES GENERALLY COLLECTIVISTIC CULTURES
United States Italy China Malaysia
Australia Belgium Taiwan Egypt
United Kingdom Sweden India Cyprus
Canada Ireland Pakistan Ghana
Netherlands Norway Bangladesh Nepal
Hungary (post-communist Switzerland Indonesia Argentina
generation) Germany Afghanistan Armenia
New Zealand

3
 10/17/19

2. The Social Construction of the Self in Western Thought

• Social construction is a 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 individualis tic self. At a very young age, the child is already
ASSIGNMENT taught to pursue what is best for self. Thus later in adult life, the measure of a
successful life is when the self is able to fulfil the life-goals set for and by the self.
The individua list ic self is always conceived as the autonomous bounded entity.
For one to be autonomous, one must be able to show independence.
1. Accomplish the activity on page 53
and answer the processing questions
• Relevant to independence brings about the second western social construct of
on page 54 (separate paper). the self which is self-sufficiency. This construct presumes that a successful self
must be able to supply one’s needs without external assistance. Being self-
sufficient also implies confidence in one’s capacity to provide what the self
needs from one’s own resources and 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 no time for the self to be weak and emotional. The self must not waste
3. The Self as Embedded in Relationships and Through
resources on meditation and other metaphysical cognitions but to be constantly Spiritual Development in Confucian Thought – Eastern
rational and reasonable. The self masters the causal relationships of things.
Everything must be explained by logic and reason. Phenomenon outside the Construct
• Eastern social infrastructures are mostly seen as contrary to the western
logical realm are simply discredited and rejected. This explains the western individualist ic construct. The eastern social construct is primarily viewed as
logical positivist movement. It contends that what is rational and reasonable collectivistic and is always grounded on nature. There were many eastern
are only those which can be logically viable. The successful self therefore, is traditions that flourished in the history of thought that were firmly based on how
grounded on one’s investment on reason and logical thinking. the self relates to others, to the Divine Being and to nature.
• It also necessarily follows that when the self adapts the rational-logical
conception of things, one must be scientific. The self marvels at the safety
measures of scientific procedures. Scientific researches ascertain the cause and • The eastern traditions are primarily composed of the ancient Asian philosophi es
effect relationship of things and phenomena. Safety is derived from the mastery from India, China, Japan and the Middle East. The Hindu and Buddhist traditions
of the phenomena concerning the self. This brings about the ideals of self- spring from India. The Confucian and Daoist traditions originate from China.
efficacy in which everything can be explained by science, and everything can be Japan also developed the Shinto traditions. The Judaeo-Christia n and Islamic
provided for by science. The successful self embraces the scientific conception traditions laid their foundations in the Middle East. However, in this particular
of things that affect one’s growth, psycho-physical development, intellectual section we shall focus on the Confucian spirituality and philosophy.
capacity, interaction with others and involvement in societal institution s and
infrastructures.

• Confucius or Kung Fu Zi ascertained the ancient Chinese civilization by • To carry out the transmission , one must have the correct procedures and
protocol. In Chinese philosophy, religious rituals are of great importance. The
establishing social order. The society will be led by wise leaders who word li originally means sacrifice. In time, the principle of li is better understood
guaranteed peace, prosperity and harmony. Here in the Confucian system as refined manner of spiritual rituals and sacrifices, and protocols in honoring
we can immediately notice the primacy of the society over the individual the ancestors. Li is both the restraining and the refinement of the self. The
person. In fact Confucius believed that the threat to social order is only virtuous self must be able to practice the correct customary procedures and
caused by the unchecked selfish desires of individuals. The self therefore protocols governing all of life.
in the Confucian system is a person within the society who exhibits
refinement and compassion.
• 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
• The refined and compassionate person was what Confucius envisioned as embody human-heartedne s s by prioritizing the self-interest of others. The sage
junzi. It is the new self formed in the right education under the virtuous king – jenzi – is characterized by his practice of ren in putting others first before
teacher as the role model. Central in the educational formation of junzi are the self.
humanistic learning, refined personal manners and the capacity to govern
the community wisely and with compassion. In principle, the new self of • Although Confucius was not given the opportunity to become the leader of
junzi – the sage king – brings to life the virtues of the ancestors to the new China, his principles of jenzi, li and ren became influential all throughout China
order of society. The self therefore is the transmitter of the ancient virtues even unto many other modern civilizations of the world.
to the new world.

4
 10/17/19

• To conclude, we commonly hear the dichotomy between the east and the
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 Hinduism
this chapter we were able to distinguish between the individualistic and
collective self. We clarified the many western constructs of the self vis-à- Who is the self?
vis the relational and spiritual construct of the east. The self is Atman, the innermost essence of the self,
whose destiny is to be Brahma in Nirvana. Attachment
• In this section we also discovered that there are still many other of the self to the material world called maya/illusion
traditions by which we can derive the conception of the self. We have leads to the suffering of the self called samsara. The self
initially identified the African traditions and conceptions of the self. We
also have noted the distinction between the traditions of the north versus then has to liberate itself from this ignorance by
the south. Our understanding of the self therefore, must not only be cultivating an authentic knowledge (self-realization)that
limited to the dividing differences between east and west. the self is NOT MAYA but ATMAN.

Buddhism Buddha’s Four Noble Truths

• Buddhism like Hinduism, springs from India. However, Buddhism
is NOT a religion BUT a practice like yoga.
• The self is subject to the law of change (born, grows and dies). 1. Life has inevitable suffering.
There is no permanence. 2. There is a cause to our suffering.
• The self is composed of five aggregates: matter, sensation, 3. There is an end to suffering.
perception, mental construct and consciousness.
4. The end to suffering is contained in the eight fold
• The goal of the self is to attain enlightenment by freeing path.
him/herself from ignorance that causes suffering.
• To eliminate ignorance and attain enlightenment, the self should
know the four noble truths and practice the eight fold paths.

THE EIGHT FOLD PATH • Confucianism is of Chinese origin.

1. Right View
• In Confucian philosophy, the self is a moral and social
2. Right Intentions
being. A true self is a noble man possessing all the
3. Right Speech
virtues and this noble man is called JEN/ JENZI/JUNZI.
4. Right Action
• The four virtues the self shall possess: human-
5. Right Livelihood heartedness, righteousness, ritual or property and
6. Right Effort wisdom.
7. Right Concentration • The self should actively harmonize himself/herself with
8. Right Mindfulness nature by translating the innate law of nature into
action.

5
 10/17/19

TAOISM/DAOISM (FOUNDER: LAO TZU) Filipino Concept of the Self

• From the Catholic point of view, the understanding of the self must
• TAO (ultimate reality) or the way of nature. It states that the be based on the concepts of PAGKATAO and LOOB.
self shall passively harmonize himself/herself with nature. • PAGKATAO (humanness) refers to the fact that a Filipino is a human
• To be able to harmonize, the self must practice the WU-WIE being just like any human being.
or the non-interference with the natural course of events. • LOOB is characterized by:
• The practice of WU-WIE can be achieved by practicing the a. Holistic view of the world or non-dualistic worldview of the self
three great virtues: humility, frugality and contentment. (body-soul-emotional-rational).
• So, the self should not strive for learning, riches and power b. Interiority refers to love, mercy, charity, clemency and leniency
but rather lasting happiness by being quiet, thoughtful and (human-heartedness). That is why we have the concepts of
humble. kagandahang-loob, kalooban, kabutihang-loob which show the
sharing or being of oneself to others.

Filipino Concept of the Self EAST VS. WEST

In summary:
a. A Filipino is multi-layered (Spanish, American, Indian, Malay,
and Chinese influences).
b. A Filipino is a relational being (family-oriented, pakikisama,
hospitality, bayanihan spirit, camaraderie, etc).
c. A Filipino is religious.
Eastern vs Western Thoug ht Pt.1.m p4

d. A Filipino is optimistic (cyclic worldview: gulong ng palad)

ASSIGNMENT
1. Accomplish the Enrichment Activities on
pages 61, 62 and 77.
2. Quickie Survey: Interview at least 3
persons and ask them if they think they
are beautiful and ask them why they say
so.