The humans as a whole lead evidently different lives comparing to those of the other animals, considering the fact that a few rearrangements of human genome can result in a dolphin. Despite of this genetic resemblance, there are certain traits that clearly differentiate human from the rest, and this so–called human nature has been one of the favorite topics discussed among people, since 'self' has been one of the most interesting topics of all time for anyone. Of course, there is no one characteristic that single–handedly defines what it means to be a human, and there are many of them that constitute human nature, some of which everyone can agree and others not so much. Some of these characteristic could be observed in the documentary film...show more content... However, not using the hands for moving around freed up the hands, and more delicate functions other than simply sustaining our own weight could be assigned to those hands. As human beings went through hundred thousand years of evolution, the functions of our hands became more delicate and complicated, from fashioning simple tools from stones and sticks to using chopsticks and solving Rubik's Cubes. Following the development of our hands, our brains that control them also have developed, granting us the intelligence that is unmatched by any other species. Although there is no one theory that clearly defines what intelligence is or how it develops in one's lifetime, it is obvious that the rapid development of technology enabled by our vastly superior intelligence gave birth to our lifestyle that clearly differentiates us from the rest. One of the other characteristics that define humanity is the usage of language. Although it is known that certain species, such as dolphins or some primates, can communicate vocally, but human beings are the only animals with sophisticated systems of communication, which can also be used in written forms, that are agreed among the constituents of the societies. With language,humans gained the ability to think, or reflect on what is not immediately available in our environment. We can think, or talk about anything in the universe as long as it is named in our languages, and we also gained a way
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Human Nature Essay
Duality Of Human Nature
One of the most predominant themes in literature is the duality of human nature. According to the Merriam Webster Dictionary, dualism is a view of human beings as constituted of two irreducible elements. Many pieces of literature concentrate on how every human possesses an animalistic and barbarous nature. In the novel The Strange Case of Dr.Jekyll and Mr.Hyde byRobert Louis Stevenson, the play Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare, and the short story William Wilson by Edgar Allan Poe, the idea of duality is explored deeply and is one of the main themes of these works.
In The Strange Case of Dr.Jekyll and Mr.Hyde, Dr. Jekyll is a well–respected scientist in London. This novel takes place in the Victorian Era, or in the mid–1800s to...show more content...
Jekyll used Edward Hyde as a way to satisfy his secret pleasures without feeling guilty about whatever Hyde has done. Another way duality is explored in the novel is the fact that if the balance of good and evil is uneven, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde cannot coexist peacefully. "Hence, although I had now two characters as well as two appearances, one was wholly evil, and the other was still the old Henry Jekyll..."(Stevenson 51) This is why near the end of the novel when Hyde's evilness takes over Dr. Jekyll, its causes their relationship to implode. "This, then, is the last time, short of a miracle, that Henry Jekyll can think his own thoughts or see his own face..."(Stevenson 61) When Dr. Jekyll allowed Hyde to be exposed to the world too much, Hyde began to have more control over Dr. Jekyll. This caused Jekyll to eventually give in to Hyde. Like in Jekyll and Hyde, Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare shows multiple examples of duality. For example, "In man as well as herbs, grace and rude will;". In this quote, Friar Laurence compares people to plants in the sense that both man and plants can be good and evil, and how some herbs can be used for medicine but can also be poisonous. The author also uses double entendres to display duality. For example, when Juliet is speaking to her mother about
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Human nature is loosely defined as the ways of thinking, feeling, and acting that that tend to come naturally. Our human nature is a mixture of our own personal beliefs and views as well as the perceptions of our surrounding environment and the society we reside in. It affects the way we interpret and present knowledge without realizing it, including our thoughts and actions. Since writing is just a collection of our thoughts and the way in which we interpret the world, our human nature inevitably seeps into our writing. This paper will argue that the Hesiod's writings, in particular the creation story of Pandora in both Theogony and Works and Days, are heavily influenced by the misogynistic views held by the Greek patriarchal society at the time. The influence of society's misogynistic views on the portrayal of characters and roles are fully exemplified when comparing the creation story of Pandora to that of her male counterpart and Eve.
The portrayal of Pandora in Hesiod's Works and Days is filled with the philosophy and viewpoints that men held towards women, greatly influencing her creation. Many of the characteristics possessed by Pandora mirror the viewpoints that men, and in particular Hesiod, had towards women. The mere creation of women, by Zeus, was an idea set around the punishment of man for the acts of Prometheus: "To set against the fire I shall give them an affliction to which they will all delight as they embrace their own misfortune" (W&D 57–59).
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Human
Essay
Nature
Humans Nature
Human Nature Good or Bad?
Whether human beings are instinctually good or evil in an elementary natural state is a question that has been boggling the minds of even the greatest philosophers. There is a spectrum of theories that support both good and evil within the human race, each with valid points that explains the range of our interests, being either for ourselves or for others. However, my personal stance is the sensible theory of Altruism. Past experiences and observations allow me to take the stance, and support the argument that humans are caring and genuinely good individuals and have the will and desire to help those around them. Philosophers such as Mengzi (4th Century BCE) also known as Mencius in the West, explains...show more content...
These ongoing debates continue into literature and are for example the two philosophical authors Thomas Hobbes (1588–1679) and Joseph Butler (1692–1752). One philosopher fighting for the truth of the evil nature within humans, and the other rebutting for the good. Hobbes' book the "Leviathan" expresses harsh outlines for the nature of human and describes the human life as, "solitary, poor, nasty, brutish and short." 1 He concluded that humans are antisocial, and that cooperation between individuals or groups is nothing but self–interest. Joseph Butler however, wanted to reestablish his belief and published the book "Fifteen Sermons Preached at Roll Chapel." His goal was to prove that human nature included positive elements. Within his book, Butler states that humans have varying characteristics pertaining to their nature and this encompasses a measure of self–interest. This self–interest is a natural attribute that roots back to the human animalistic nature of "survival of the fittest." This self–interest is also a human quality that does not conflict with benevolence. Butler arranged these human attributes into a hierarchy with the top being conscience. In regards to conscience, Hobbes maintained the opinion that acts of kindness
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"It is a sin to believe evil of others, but it is seldom a mistake."
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From the moment they are born, humans have a naturally evil predisposition. Although the term 'evil' is difficult to define, there are various views on morality. The most commonly referenced one, Moral Objectivism, holds that moral standards are universally transcendent, and that certain acts are right or wrong independent of human subjectivity. It is by this unspoken moral code that humanity's acts are judged. There is some debate whether a fundamental human nature exists, as social and environmental influences are present from the moment someone is born. But if we can define human nature, it is beyond doubt, naturally evil. The English philosopher Thomas...show more content...
The atrocity of acts committed by mankind throughout history demonstrates the dangerous results when society is unable to restrain the natural evil present in human beings. The words 'humane', and 'civilized', both come from roots that describe society. Their positive connotations associate humankind with an inherent morality. But it is hard to have faith in our race when throughout history; we have brutalized each other in such barbaric ways. How can independently thinking, emotionally compassionate beings take part in massacres like the killings at Columbine or in the terrorist attacks in 2001? The September 11th bombings took thousands of innocent lives, and struck fear into the hearts of millions. What shocked the observing world though, was not the number of dead. It was the senselessness of the cause, the raw savagery of the attacks, the utter lack of humanity. It begged the question: what happens when the moderating hand of society fails to restrain a group of radicals? The answer was simple. We saw the innate evil present in each one of us, in its undistilled, uncensored form. The Columbine killers, Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold, were disillusioned bullies– torn away from society's expectations through a combination of violence tendencies and psychosis. Their horrific acts were a result of their innate evil nature breaking through the wall of societal structure. Golding's contention was that in most cases, rules were forced
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Human Nature Essay
H.L Menckens
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. According to the current definition from Webster, good is defined as morally excellent; virtuous; righteous; pious; where as evil is defined as morally wrong or bad; immoral; wicked. One could...show more content... Would these people be considered evil and if so how did they become this way? Were they born this was or was it some sort of external forces that led them to become evil? Well according to Hsun Tao, another Chinese philosopher, humans were born of an evil nature and with some sort of guidance from a teacher could learn to become good. He believed that what is natural to human beings is desire and desire inevitably leads to conflict; since this is evil then so is the nature the results within. Yet referring back to the young child and well example, why would most people do the right thing? Is it because they are taught to be good again is it something that is deeper? However, another Chinese philosopher, Kao Tzu, beleived that human nature is neither inherently good nor inherently evil but rather a "blank slate" that could be conditioned in both directions. When an individual is born he/she has no ideas or preexisting behaviors but that through life experiences and external forces, such as family and friends, that influence ones human nature. Or according to John Locke "the mind at birth is a blank white sheet of paper on which experience writes." Religion also claims to provide a solution for whether human nature is initially good or evil but this of course varies upon the religion. According to Catholicism everyone who has been born is tainted with original sin which according to the bible is an inclination to evil caused
Human Nature: Good or Evil? Essay
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Is there or is there not human nature? For Charles Darwin the answer is no. Darwin was the first to introduce the concept of evolution. He believed that humans evolved from the ape and not in the image of God. Darwin contradicted Aristotle's view that man has a purpose in life–to reason. For Darwin, man has no purpose. According to Darwin, man began as one of a few species on this planet, fighting for survival. Man was better equipped with certain traits that allowed him to pass through the filters of natural selection. Man's physical and intellectual traits allowed him to surpass all over species, thus becoming the greatest predator and severely diminishing the risk of man becoming another species prey. Mans climb to the top of the...show more content...
"No matter what we choose we cannot escape responsibility for our choice and guilt for the consequences" (Sartre notes) For Sartre, "existence precedes essence (243). Man exists, man lives, and man makes choices. It's through these choices and living that man defines who and what he is. In the end, "the existential vision of the human condition is tragic, but it is not pessimistic" (notes). John Locke's philosophy is that human reason and emotion are the right tools to solve problems confronting mankind. Locke's theory of human nature is a simple one; man likes happiness and dislikes unhappiness. Locke denies that man is born neither good nor bad. This theory contradicts the idealist theory that man is born good but is diverged from this goodness by negative influences in society. Locke believes that man is naturally reasonable and will set out to do what is best for him even if it invokes temporary pain or pleasure. He argues that man will naturally impose upon himself laws for his own good and for the good of society. Thomas Hobbes is atomistic. He believes that man is born equal. By this he means, the bodies and mind of all men contain equal ability. Because all men posses equal ability they all hope to attain their highest hopes and dreams. Conflict is introduced when both men want something that neither can
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Human Nature Essay
Human Nature
For hundreds of years people have written countless books about war. Some have chosen to write simply about the events that took place during the war, in the form a historical account, while others have chosen to write about their own, or other people's experiences. However, many of them have portrayed war as being glorious and associated it with valor and honor, suggesting that all participants of war were heroes. In a way these kinds of writings were encouraging warfare by depicting the act of war and its partakers as being admirable. On the contrary, Slaughterhouse– Five written by Kurt Vonnegutis an anti–war book. Not only does it reveal the horrors of war, but it also...show more content... There are shifts in the tone of the passage. The narrator has a somewhat bitter tone when he is talking about being left behind by the plane. The line "And I became a non–person in the Boston fog…with some other non–persons…" (20) shows that he is both frustrated for not being able to have power over the situation which he and the others are in. The plane that was scheduled to go to Frankfurt had gone ahead, but a number of people including the narrator himself who were supposed to be on the plane, were not. The narrator is saddened by this situation, which makes it seem like they disappeared off the face of the earth, and became non–existent. Once in the motel room, the narrator's tone display signs of impatience and irritation, as he talks about the time not passing. The narrator uses hyperbole in the line " The second hand of my watch would twitch once, and a year would pass, and then it would twitch again" (20) to emphasize on how slowly the time is passing. "There was nothing I could do about it" (20). This line shows the narrator's helplessness and his inability to control the situation. Finally, the tone becomes sarcastic after he reads the excerpt from the Gideon Bible about the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. "Those were vile people in both those cities, as is well known. The world was better of without them" (21).
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Human Nature Essay
The Evil Nature of Man: An Essay on Human Nature
People today enjoy the many pleasures life provides, including entertainment and technology, all the while living longer than ever before. This would not be possible, if it were not for a government that protects it's citizens from danger and promotes peace. Humans are evil by nature, and therefore require some form of power in a society that will protect each person. This evil is described in a interview with a U.S. soldier who after returning from Iraq, found his evil nature to control his emotions toward Muslims, until he was able to join their group, an become a member of their society.Thomas Hobbes, an English Philosopher from the 17th century, wrote a book on the subjects of human...show more content...
Of course with this State, the idea of the third law of nature comes into view, with people of the State "perform[ing] their covenants made"(45), having each man follow the rules of the State, which is able to determine for itself what is just and unjust. The violent nature of man is thwarted through the existence of the State, which every man gives up certain rights to, yet gains security and peace from, allowing them to live with instead of war, the pleasures of industry, invention, culture, exploration: all the things that make life worth living (Hobbes 42). This is evidenced by our culture, where most men and women are able to go about their daily lives, enjoying all the pleasures in our society, while our government protects each of its citizens from threats. The only thing we as citizens have to do in return is follow the laws of the government. Another Philosopher,John Locke, took a view that was opposite of Hobbes. In his work "Of the State of Nature," Locke feels that since humans were all equal, left to their own devices, they would be able to establish their own form of government that they themselves could control (48). The argument made starts off in a form similar to Hobbes idea of two men having the same goal, yet in Locke's
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Human Nature Essay
Human Nature Of Humanity
Jane Addams once said, "The good we secure for ourselves is precarious and uncertain until it is secured for all of us and incorporated into our common life." The same can be said for humanity. Evidence from history supports the concept that inhumane actions are contagious, and for this reason compassion and humanity can not be practiced in parts. Practicing humanity and compassion selectively or in parts creates an inhumane world. Humans must learn to be kind and take care of each other before much else beneficial can be accomplished. Universal humanity insures that all human beings do not have to worry about becoming victim to inhumane actions and violence. Imagine, women, children, and men victims of inhumanity and violence. In order for humanity and compassion to be of any true importance, humanity and compassion must be universal. History tells many stories of greed, entitlement, and moral failure. In addition, history also paints the picture of some horrific effects of selective humanity. One example from history that paints this picture is theVietnamWar. At the time of the Vietnam War, theUnited States was humane, and aside from civil displays of disapproval for the war, the people were at peace. There was no war on our home land, and there were no invasions orand overthrows of our government. These actions were overseas, but the inhumane and violent reality of Vietnam became reality for even the most compassionate Americans. The draft was the solution to the desperate war efforts during Vietnam, and was what sealed the fate of thousands of Americans. Draftees accounted for roughly 30.4% (17,725) of combat deaths in Vietnam (World History Project, USA). These individuals were every day men. Butchers, bakers, and even candle stick makers, not soldiers. They did not join on their own free will because war was a foreign affair that did not interest many draftees. Their number was called, luck of the draw, and just like that these butchers, bakers, and even candle stick makers, were off to fight a bloody battle in a foreign country that was full of hate, and violence. The war not only took good hearted men and put them in a position to hurt and kill others, the war also disrupted the civil peace
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