human imperfection Flashcards
what is human imperfection?
The concept that humans are morally, psychologically and intellectually imperfect; and imperfectable.
Does a belief in intellectual imperfection rule out scientific progress and research?
Conservatives might see the search for knowledge as pointless, and there are some things we simply cannot grasp, and that we should turn towards tradition, faith or culture for the answers.
how does this link to pragmatism?
Pragmatism means conservatives will come to accept popular theories – once something is provable, and becomes experience, it is acceptable.
what does hobbes say on human imperfection?
Humans desire ‘power after power’ – selfish, the state of nature is a ‘warre of all against all’ (morally)
what does Oakeshott say on imperfection?
The political world is ‘boundless and bottomless’ (intellectually), “To be conservative … is to prefer the familiar to the unknown, to prefer the tried to the untried.” (psychologically)
what term does Durkheim use justify human imperfection
anomie suggests psychological imperfect
how do the liberal new right view human imperfection?
the Liberal New Right believe humans are rational, and not as psychologically or intellectually imperfect. Ideas about moral have been maintained.
how do neoliberals view differ?
neoliberals accept that we are imperfect: Intellectually, in that market forces and the economy are beyond human understanding (and become a “dead hand”), and morally, in that they accept we are greedy – but they may see this as a good, natural, or useful thing (Rand).
