Philosophical Perspectives on Human Nature
Ancient Philosophy
- Plato: A philosopher of the ancient era who proposed that humans possess a soul divided into three parts: rational (which frees the soul), appetitive (desire), and irritable (which forms character). He argued that the body interferes with the soul's functions and described two worlds: the sensible (the world we live in) and the intelligible (the real world). He believed man must liberate his soul to reach the latter.
- Aristotle: Defined man as a rational animal and a political being who naturally seeks to live with others. He posited that the soul (the form that makes a man what he is) cannot exist without the body (the matter).
Medieval Philosophy
- St. Augustine: Argued that man is a rational being capable of knowledge through the illumination of God. This understanding allows humans to distinguish right from wrong; acting well leads to happiness through divine enlightenment. He believed God resides within the soul.
Modern and Contemporary Philosophy
- Pascal: Asserted that the greatness of man consists in the awareness of his own limitations.
- Maliandi: Proposed that humans use technique to compensate for biological deficiencies. Born helpless, humans require others to survive. Unlike animals, humans adapt to any environment and create culture to acquire skills nature did not provide.
- Savater: Suggested that death has only a biological meaning. He argued that because humans are conscious of their mortality, they are compelled to think, plan, and find meaning in life.
- Cassirer: Defined man as a symbolic animal. While animals react to stimuli with immediate biological drives, humans can think and formulate complex responses. Symbolization is the act of representing reality through signs.
- Sartre: A proponent of Existentialism who argued that humanism means man is an indeterminate being. He stated that humans have no fixed essence and are defined solely by their decisions, which generates the anxiety of constant choice.
