Human Nature Flashcards
1
Q
Thomas Hobbes
Pessimistic view
A
- humans are selfish yet we are intelligent enough to know we need to cooperate with each other so life is tolerable
- We need police, the armies and the law so we don’t revert back to our selfish ways
2
Q
John Jacques Rousseau
Optimistic view
A
- Man is a good, loving animal yet society constraints us and makes us bad
- In our natural state we are generous, kind and loving creatures yet society constraints us
- The purpose of society should be to remove barriers which would result in the loss of law because we don’t need it
3
Q
Thomas Hobbes view quote
A
- When in a natural state…”the life of man, solitary, poor, brutish and short”
4
Q
John Jacques Rousseau view quote
A
- “man is born free and everywhere he is in chains”
5
Q
Immanuel Kant
Optimistic view
A
- When we do things wrong it is because of a lack of reason
- If we are educated and use our reason correctly we will live according to our innate good will
- We live in the noumenal world where there are absolute rights and wrongs but over reason can be clouded by the phenomenal realm
- Agrees with Hobbes but believes we can overcome this with reason and education so we can establish a higher level of existence
6
Q
Foucault
A
- Human nature is taught to us like any other quality
- We are socialised and educated to think and behave in a human nature way
- Often happiness is what the rules of society want from their subjects
7
Q
Marx
A
- No such thing as human nature
- Humans have to work and create to guarantee their survival=everything they do is a product of society
- Business people will argue that humans are selfish and greedy because that behaviour is rewarded in a capitalist society
8
Q
Human will after the Fall
Augustine
A
- Pride is the reason for the Fall according to Augustine
- Pride and influence of Satan
- Lucifer tempted Adam and Eve
- We were given Free Will to choose to obey or disobey God (to have a loving relationship with God we need free will=king and the pauper girl)
9
Q
Human Will after the Fall quote
A
- “The evil will precedes the evil act”
10
Q
Bakunin
Was Satan the first free thinker?
A
- Before the Fall God was a tyrant (Controlled and oppressed Adam and Eve) (Couldn’t eat from the tree of knowledge) - Humans were submissive and obeyed God (Humans were eternal beasts) (Always controlled and underneath God) - Satan makes us disobey and freed us (Emansipator=gave humanity freedom and liberty)
11
Q
Akrasia=weakness of Will
A
- Before the Fall we had self control, temperant and a life without struggle = a virtuous life
- After the Fall we now have a divided will. Caritas=good will and cupiditas=food, money and sex
- If cupiditas is left unchecked we follow concupiscence
12
Q
Concupiscence
A
- About craving money, power, food and above all sex
- Uncontrollable desires and we need to be aware of them to be able to control them
- need to be aware of the divided will and dominant cupiditas
13
Q
Augustines Grace
A
God’s Grace - unconditional and unmoved love - because God is omniscient he knows who will accept his grace (available to all) so they are predestined to go to Heaven (summum bonum) while the rest are predestined to go to Hell (everyone should go to hell) (links to god being timeless) - God’s grace over-rides cupiditas - antonement and redemption
14
Q
Predestination weaknesses
A
- double predestination where God is still predestining those to go to Hell so not omnibenevolent
- Free will??? King and pauper girl parable
15
Q
Augustines quote
A
“Human nature then is without any doubt ashamed about lust and rightly ashamed”
