Philosophy

What is the definition of Eastern Philosophy?

Comments

It is a very misleading term, especially today when the world has become so intertwined. The idea of an Eastern philosophy was often used to contrast with the ways things are done in "the West", wherever that is, and has a sense also of being mystical, religious and more spiritual in many ways as compared with the "Western" philosophical approaches. However, there is plenty of mysticism, religion and spirituality in philosophy in any part of the world, and much of what is called Eastern is just as analytical and logical as anything found anywhere else.

Having said this, it is a sad fact about most philosophical training in "the West" is that it largely ignores anything coming from China, India, the Islamic world and so on, as though only the philosophical thought originating in Europe and North America is worth studying. Here "Eastern philosophy" represents "the Other" and it is about time that we questioned this attitude.

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