East and West: Manifestation of ancient thought paradigms in modern times

For thousands of years, apart from the last centuries, Western and East Asian cultures have developed largely in isolation. Engendered in very different geographic conditions and influenced by divergent processes of nature observation as well as by local self-protection imperatives, they formed unique philosophical frameworks of man - nature and man - man relationships. Different circumstances have led to the creation of specific cultural fundamentals, contrasting concepts and differing thinking inclinations. They have been gradually embedded into people s behavior and minds as a kind of their mental DNA and manifested in different patterns of governance, social constructs, economic models and relations with the outside world. In other words, both regions went through very different incubators of mind evolution that has left a strong heritage of thought paradigms and thinking modes in our modern times. Illumination of historical linkages and roots of different mentalities in the West and Confucian Asia contributes to a better understanding of ourselves as well as other cultures.