Philosophies are reflective of nations’ lifestyles and perspectives on ethical decision-making. Western and Eastern philosophies have borrowed a lot from religious movements. There are two differences between these philosophies, including the individualism-collectivism dimension of ethics and the conflict of predetermined rules and searching for truth.
Firstly, Western and Eastern philosophies embody ethical individualism and collectivism, respectively, which might stem from the religiously informed units of ethical analysis. In Aristotelian eudaemonia and similar concepts, Western philosophy positions virtue as something that can and should be exercised at the individual level; Chinese philosophy treats virtue as the means for strengthening society’s structure (Alzola et al., 2020). Western religions, such as Islam and Christianity, shape this difference by being predominantly monotheistic and oriented at emphasizing virtuous life as an individual’s service to God or communities, and Eastern doctrines, including Buddhism, might stress the role of universal unity and the believer’s samgha as variables in ethical decisions (Alzola et al., 2020; Sasaki, 2019). Therefore, this dissimilarity might occur as a result of religious contributions.
Secondly, the two schools of philosophical thought differ in terms of emphasizing exploration versus principles/rules in ethical decisions. Western ethical artifacts, including Solomon’s works, often approach the right-or-wrong question by placing concepts hierarchically and considering the intersections of interests and outcomes, and Eastern ethics values a more rule-based approach in which righteousness is impossible without success in fulfilling diverse social roles as required (Alzola et al., 2020; Sasaki, 2019). Religions shape this dissimilarity in the mechanisms of retrieving answers by treating unmet rules, for instance, the obligation to protect one’s samgha, as the rationale for punishment in the East. The Christian narratives of God’s existence following from the evidence of his wonders and deeds might permeate this orientation at provability in the West (Sasaki, 2019). The difference might stem from religions’ attitudes to the truth as something to be seen and the existence of rules that are inherently true.
In summary, regional philosophical differences are often intertwined with these regions’ religious profiles. The individual and social levels of analysis in Western and Eastern philosophies might have religious roots. Another religiously informed discrepancy is whether truth can be found individually or is offered as social rules.
References
Alzola, M., Hennig, A., & Romar, E. (2020). Thematic symposium editorial: Virtue ethics between East and West. Journal of Business Ethics, 165(2), 177-189. Web.
Sasaki, S. (2019). Organizational theory in Buddhism. Hualin International Journal of Buddhist Studies, 2(2), 202-216. Web.