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In-Depth Information
Let's look back to the old Greek era in which we find the origin of long history of
western philosophy. Plato, one of the most famous philosophers not only in Greek era
but also in the whole human history, compared human spirit to a carriage with two
horses and one driver in his famous book “the Republic” [2]. Here the driver is a
metaphor of a rational aspect of human spirit, in other word “Logos.” On the other
hands two horses are a metaphor of a emotional aspect, in other word “Pathos”
(Fig. 2). The former could be linked to the formal part of our life and the latter being
the private part. And one of the horse means passion in emotion and the other is
instinctive aspect of it.
Fig. 2.
Logos and Pathos
By Plato logos was admired as the basis of human rational behaviors. For pathos,
passion was admired as the source of human creative behaviors. But instinct was
despised as undeveloped and dark side of human behaviors. Also he expected that
logos would controls the dark side of pathos, instinct, with a help of bright side of
pathos, passion.
This definition and statement by Plato determined the direction of philosophy and
morality in Western world. Since the old Greek era, people have been trying to
separate logos and pathos in their life. In other words, they have been trying to
separate logical way and emotional way of living.
4.2 Formal and Informal Aspects of Our Life
Based on the philosophical considerations by Plato, in the long history of Western
society, logos has been considered to be related to the formal aspect of our behaviors;
behaviors in social situations, in business scenes, etc. On the other hand, pathos has
been related to the private aspect of our activities. In the long history of Western
world, people have been trying eagerly to clearly separate these two aspects. In
addition to this people have tried to emphasize the importance of logos neglecting
another aspect of pathos.
Also in Asian word we have such distinction. For example in Japan the formal
aspect of our behaviors is called “Honne” and informal aspect as “Tatemae.”
Japanese people have been accused of having Honne and Tatemae by being said that
Japanese people have double principle. However, based on the above observation this
is not correct. All the human have formal aspect and private aspect, in other words
