1 / 3

Theories of Human Nature

Theories of Human Nature. Psychological Egoism : human beings are simply physical bodies in motion; they always act in self-interested, aggressive ways (Freud, Hobbes, Schlick)

zody
Download Presentation

Theories of Human Nature

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Theories of Human Nature Psychological Egoism: human beings are simply physical bodies in motion; they always act in self-interested, aggressive ways (Freud, Hobbes, Schlick) Traditional Western view: all human beings have an enduring, rational, independent, spiritual self separate from the body Rationalist view: reason can achieve happiness by controlling our appetites and aggression (Plato, Aristotle) Religious view: through love of God and others, we can be happy by fulfilling our call to be God-like (Augustine)

  2. Challenges to the Traditional Views of Human Nature $ Evolutionism: like other animals, human abilities have evolved due to random variation and natural selection, not because of purposeful design (Darwin) Objections: evolution could be divinely directed; and human reason and language are qualitatively unlike anything found among animals

  3. Challenges to the Traditional Views of Human Nature Existentialism: we freely choose to create our essence or nature; to choose to believe we cannot choose due to genetics, upbringing, or unconscious motives is to act in “bad faith”; our existence precedes our essence (Sartre) Feminism: feeling and emotion are just as important as reason in defining human nature

More Related