In
Eastern philosophies such as Buddhism, Hinduism (Advaita Vedanta),
Taoism, and Confucianism, the individual self is not seen as the primary
reality, but rather as a small part of a larger whole.
In Western perspectives such as Greco-Roman and Judeo-Christian
traditions, the individual self is special because it is perceived as
unique, independent, autonomous, and rational. This perspective tends to
see the individual as a bounded entity, separate from others and the
environment."