A classic paradox: is Human Nature Originally Good or Bad?
By
Zhi Ye
April 2015
Student ID: 43791255
When it comes to human nature, many Chinese philosophers have different ideas.
On the one hand, some people, represented by Mencius, the “second sage” in China, who inherited and developed Confucius’ thoughts about human nature, believed that human nature is originally good, because human will do many good things without any hesitation and selfishness, and it is only out of instinctive response. (Chan, 1963) Take an example that we discussed on the lecture before, if there is a little baby fell into the river, human who find this emergency will jump into the river to save the baby, and the reason why they do like this is not for any rewards,
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(Yu 2005) However, there are some differences between human activity and human nature. If people do everything out of instinct, it may make things worse and also cause a disorder. As everyone knows, it is normal that a person is eager to eat when he or she is hungry, and he or she is eager for water under the torture of thirsty and there is no doubt that this is out of instinct indeed and will be accepted we all. Nevertheless, if there is an elder who suffering from hungry and thirsty likewise, the person is supposed to let the elder eat and drink first, based on the principle of politeness and etiquette, but it is totally against human’s instinct. Technically, it is only a virtues that people acquire by learning, not be born with it. Therefore, we can say that a man can acquire knowledge of etiquette and righteous, which are accepted that were produced by sage, through learning and practising. (Chan 1963) And we can conjecture that if human act very much on instinct, maybe the impressive traditional Chinese story, which talks about Kongrong share the pears with his elder brother, would not happen. As a result, the idea of “human nature is originally good” is not a perfect
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During the 1800’s many political ideologies sprouted throughout Europe, which later changed the way of thinking in society. The ideas of conservatism, liberalism, and communism were used much throughout Europe. There were also many individuals who supported and created their own way of thinking based upon these ideologies. These individuals included Klemens Von Metternich, John Stuart Mill, and Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels. Metternich viewed human nature negatively, since he thought that humans were the cause of error; however, Mill viewed human nature positively, since he believed that human society had freedom which needed to be protected while Marx and Engels felt that human nature consisted of a never ending struggle between classes.
The Federalist Papers provide priceless insight into the spirits of both human government and human nature. In fact, The Federalist Papers repeatedly acknowledge a basic truth of human existence: humans are naturally selfish, hostile, and full of such characteristics that hinder the continuation of peaceful, harmonious existence. The corruption of the human race permeates even the strongest governments, as history has shown time and again. Ironic as it is, governments must take precautions to guard themselves, even from their very own members, from the very thing that all governments are meant to remedy: the shortcomings of human nature. The means by which The Federalists
Since the beginning of time, our mere existence has created a number of questions we cannot seem to forget nor answer. Where did we come from? How was the universe created? What is our purpose? Are we innately good or bad? Assumptions, theories, evidence, faith, and science have all been used to try to answer these questions accurately. Specifically the question whether we are born good or bad will be addressed.
According to Joyce A. Little, the major moral problem that human’s face is that when people attempt to agree upon attacking evil, their different opinions separate their views on identifying exactly what should be right? Little expresses the problem as "we cannot agree on what would be right or good for society...by people whose fundamental views of reality are radically opposed to the Church 's" (23).
The Confucian philosopher, Mengzi, asserts that humans have instincts by nature that tend toward goodness. Meaning, because human have virtuous instincts, human nature is good. Within his philosophy, Mengzi claims that humans have four sprouts;
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The importance of legal representation to those considered to be poor or disadvantaged is vital to the outcome they receive in legal processes. In saying this, eligibility for public funded representation such as legal aid can be difficult to obtain (Hall 1993). Legal aid provides assistance to people unable to afford legal representation and access to the court system (Hall 1993). Legal aid is defined as a grant of legal assistance free-of-charge, for people who cannot afford their own representation and meet certain criteria such as a means test to determine eligibility (Australian Government 2017). Published research has illustrated that the chances of people being successful rises from 20 percent to 35 percent when professionally represented
The concept of nature vs nurture is easily one of the oldest and most controversial arguments of modern times. Harvard psychology professor Steven Pinker is notably known in the world of psychology and the social sciences for his book “The Blank Slate: The Modern Denial of Human Nature.” In his book, Pinker addresses this exact argument and reasons that human behavior is mostly and at its roots is formed by evolutionary psychological adaptations. In 2003, Steven Pinker gave a Ted Talk regarding his book and the idea that human behavior is predisposed, rather than formed by socialization, interactions between people and the exposure to culture. Pinker discusses the reasoning behind his stance on nature over nurture using five key discussion points, these points being, human universals, neurology and DNA, political reasoning, the arts and parenting. During his Ted Talk, Pinker begins by stating that there are human universals, concepts, behaviors and traits that are carried and found, with many similarities, throughout every human civilization, he then explains that a common example of this is with twins separated at birth, and can be proven through neurological studies. Another concept that Pinker address to further solidify his stance is the idea that the argument that humans are ‘blank slates’ and human behavior is developed through nurture rather than nature is the political reasoning behind the benefits of everyone being ‘blank slates’. Two critical points he made however
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A famous philosopher Socrates once said, 'the unexamined life is not worth living.' With that idea, the question 'Are Human Beings Intrinsically Evil?' has been asked by philosophers for many years. It is known as one of the unanswerable questions. Determinists have come to the conclusion that we are governed by the laws of science, that there is nothing we can do about ourselves being evil because we naturally are. Evil is simply the act of causing pain. In this essay I will argue that human beings are born with a natural reaction to 'fear and chaos' to be instinctively evil.
The flaws of human nature are many, but one of the biggest is the gullibility, especially in the presence of the supernatural. It is often easy to think that the thoughts or actions of an individual are of their own doing. It is even easier to assume that the range of the mind falls between good and evil. But society is not quite clear and even in fiction, there is always something motivating an action that lingers in the back of the mind of any character. The supernatural in particular is known for its ability to push people to extremes and alter their perception drastically. In Shakespeare’s Macbeth, it is easy to assume the blind ambition that brews within Macbeth and his wife or the guilt that plagues them following their actions is the biggest motivator. But that is just the surface of the complexity interlaced into this tragedy. Dig further, and it becomes clear that these emotions were not always prevalent in the characters, but were instead prompted by a force so powerful, it toyed with fate and provoked deception until the end; it was the supernatural that fueled the emotions and actions that take up much of the play.
For centuries many philosophers, as well as most individuals, have pondered on the question what is good and what is evil. More-so philosophers of all ages have also stumbled upon a more in depth question which is if the intuitive knowledge of man's nature is good, or if it is evil. Many have claimed to have an answer to these puzzling questions yet most of their answers were found to be incomplete and inadequate at a later date. Religion also tried to provide a solution but to my understanding only caused more of an entanglement if anything.
Can genes alone determine your DNA's place in the next generation? Are humans simply vessels for these genes?
Human nature is what tells us apart from each other and makes us distinctly human. Our nature and understanding is what makes us different from animals and other creations due to our ability to think and reason. No other creature on this earth has that given ability. Our reason gives us the upper hand and allows us to reflect on our nature and behaviors that allows us to make changes and transform. For example, when facing adversity, we have the choice to continue with our struggles or terminate the situation; if we witness someone else’s misfortune, we have the option to follow in their footsteps or avoid making the same mistake. Human nature, gives us the capability to express our emotions, love and connect. It also allows us to display emotions and actions that are not always appropriate like hate, rape, murder and war. Despite our positive sides, as humans we are capable of destruction, competiveness and greed. Although, I strongly feel that a person’s environment and upbringing will shape their life choices, it does not automatically define who they are or