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Why A Theory of Human Nature?

This document provides an introduction to theories of human nature in Western philosophy. It discusses why understanding human nature is important and how theories can become ideologies. It outlines some key questions around human nature and popular views including Christianity, naturalism, rationalism, and Marxism. The document then surveys major theories from ancient Greek philosophers to contemporary thinkers, covering what they saw as the essence of human beings. It concludes by identifying some of the main theories that will be covered in the course, such as classical Greek, Christianity, Enlightenment, Marxism, and psychoanalysis.

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67 views15 pages

Why A Theory of Human Nature?

This document provides an introduction to theories of human nature in Western philosophy. It discusses why understanding human nature is important and how theories can become ideologies. It outlines some key questions around human nature and popular views including Christianity, naturalism, rationalism, and Marxism. The document then surveys major theories from ancient Greek philosophers to contemporary thinkers, covering what they saw as the essence of human beings. It concludes by identifying some of the main theories that will be covered in the course, such as classical Greek, Christianity, Enlightenment, Marxism, and psychoanalysis.

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曾兆崙
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© © All Rights Reserved
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APSS1A02 Introduction to Western Theories of Human Nature

Lecture 1

Why a theory of human nature?

1
Books that you will find useful…

(Ten Theories of (Twelve Theories (From Socrates to Sartre)


Human Nature) of Human Nature)

2
Some questions to start with
 Are all human beings selfish?
 Is the insane person not a human?
 Is homosexuality against human nature?
 Can there be a society where everybody is equal?
 Can there be any meaning of life for non-religious
persons?
 Are we biologically programmed in such a way that we
must fall in love with some persons?
 Were we born to be unhappy?
 …
 What is human nature?

3
Understanding human nature

 A theory of human nature concerns a ‘philosophy of


life’, which concerns the human life is, and how it
should be lived.
 Compare:
 Philosophy
 Worldview
 Ideology
 All these aim to provide both a description of what
humans are, and a prescription of what they should be.

4
The contributions of theories of human
nature
Human Nature
Theories

Religion Science Ethics

Politics

5
Some popular views of human nature

Theory Conception of man/woman Core value Means to attaining the


good life

Christianity God’s creation Union with God Acceptance of


salvation 拯教

Naturalism A part of nature Conformity with the law of Treat ourselves as


nature nothing more than a
natural species

Rationalism A rational animal Truth and reason Fully develop our


intellectual capacities

Marxism A social animal which Social equality Revolution


aims to master the natural
world collectively

Nihilism 虛 ? Disillusionment with human Whatever you can


無主義 nature think of (!)

6
What these theories all tell us?

1. a background metaphysical understanding of the


universe and humanity’s place in it;
2. a theory of human nature in a narrower sense of some
distinctive general claims about human beings, human
society, and the human conditions;
3. a diagnosis of some typical defect in human beings, of
what tends to go wrong in human life and society;
4. a prescription or ideal for human life should best be
lived, typically offering guidance to individuals and
human societies.
--Twelve Theories of Human Nature

7
How a theory of nature becomes an
ideology
 Theory of human nature:
 A set of propositions about the nature of human beings.
 Ideology:
- ‘A system of beliefs about human nature that is held by a some
group of people as giving rise to their way of life.’
 Theory + Cultural/political/religious/scientific practices 
Ideology

8
Views of Human Nature in Western
History of Philosophy
AD476 AD1400 AD1900

The
Classical The Medieval The Modern
Contemporary

Ancient Greek (Christian) Scholastic Phil Modern Analytic &


Philosophy osophy Philosophy Continental
Philosophy

Critical and Human nature


Humans as the creations of
scientific thinking is
God. varies; or there is
Man as a rational the clue to human
and political progress. no human nature at
all.
animal. 9
Ancient Greek Philosophy

Socrates Plato Aristotle


(469-399BC) (427-347BC) (384-322BC)

10
Scholastic philosophy

St Thomas Aquinas
St Anselm
(1225-1274)
(1033-1109)

11
Modern Philosophy

Rene Descartes Thomas Hobbes David Hume Immanuel Kant


(1596-1650) (1588-1679) (1711-1776) (1724-1804)

G.W.F. Hegel Karl Marx John Stuart Mill Friedrich Nietzsche


(1770-1831) (1818-1883) (1806-1873) (1844-1900)

12
Twentieth Century Thinkers

Ludwig Wittgenstein

Sigmund Freud (1889-1951)

(1856-1939)

Bertrand Russell Jean-Paul Sartre


(1872-1970) (1905-1980)

13
Some theoretical positions to
consider:
 What is the essence( 本質 ) of a human
being?
1. Rationality
2. Emotions or passions
3. The survival/reproductive instinct
4. Self-consciousness and freedom
5. Internalized social roles

14
What theory to study in this course?

 Classical Greek Theories


 Christianity
 Enlightenment Theories
 Marxism
 Psychoanalysis
 Existentialism
 Confucianism

15

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