Why is it that we divide philosophy into two basic camps: eastern and western?

Question

Why is it that we divide philosophy into two basic camps: eastern and wester? Do they not seek to answer the same questions?

Answer 1

This is just my opinion, but I think it is because the East and the West have two basically different ways of seeing or understanding. Western philosophy basically came from the Greeks and is logical, linear, progressive. Eastern philosophy has more of a temporal wholeness about it, a sense of the unity of the beginning and the end that cannot be disconnected from each other.

I think they seek to answer a lot of the same questions. But, for instance, I have a hard time envisioning eastern philosophy coming up with evolution as an answer for the origins of man.
I have a hard time envisioning western philosophy coming up with the Japanese view of harmony "wa". I do think the differences in the philosophies lead people to go at life differently. I hope someone else adds to this.

Answer 2

Yes they seek to answer the same questions. It's the answers themselves that cause them to be divided into 'Eastern' and 'Western'. Exactly what the answer IS depends on the question.

Answer 3

I think it is the way they go about seeking the answers to those questions that separates the two. Or the way they view the questions. There is definitely a different mindset going on.

Answer 4

I think it goes back to when the catholic church split into eastern and western orthodox, then eastern began to encompass asian philosophy as well. two different mindsets. western tends to split mind from spirit, eastern tends to consider them joined.

Answer 5

The culture influences the way people perceive their surroundings. In part due to inherited tendencies but likewise an evolving affluence since our world is much less isolated as it used to be.

Answer 6

Cause people are too simple minded to think that they might have the same flaws.