t1 Nature of Human Beings

8/2/2019 t1 Nature of Human Beings

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Nature of HumanBeings

Religious perspective Biological perspective


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NATURE OF HUMAN BEINGS

what is a human being?

Do humans have something like a nature?

If so, in what does human nature consist?

To say something about what a human being

essentially (or in nature) is, implies sayingsomething about what humans ought to be


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What is human nature?

It is not simply a question of how humans areto understand this or that case, but anarticulation of how humans understand, orought to understand, themselves.


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NATURE OF HUMAN BEINGS: ISSUES

What specifically makes the human being as a

species different from other species? What does it mean to be a person? Do human beings have free will? How does one understand morality, religion, and

culture? How are these elements related to language and to

human self-consciousness (subjectivity)? Is religion necessarily connected to humanity?

Are humans able to act on reasons and principlesthat cannot be reduced to causes?

What is one to think of death?

What is the basis for human dignity?


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In Hinduism and Buddhism human nature is partlyunderstood from the perspective of the self as part ofall that is, and given the task of becoming the non-self.

both Hinduism and Buddhism affirm that humanbeings are related to all that is and, simultaneously,how the self is essentially divine.

To overcome individuality and to become part of the

encompassing world is the aim of human life. This can be done by transcending the world of the

senses.

This aim is realized when the self dissolves into the

whole after death, but also can be anticipated indifferent forms of meditational ractices.


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Islam is the religion that most stronglystresses the distinction between God and theworld; humanity is seen as dependent upon

God and God's will.God is the creator of humans. The aim of

humanity is to realize this dependence andlive accordinglyi.e., in gratitude towardGod.

. In Islam, sin is understood as disobedience(ma'siya) and not as rooted in human nature.


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The Bible offers no developed theory abouthuman

human beings as created in the image ofGod (imago Dei); nature

human beings are understood in terms oftheir relation with God; it is this relation that

is thought to make humans unique comparedto other species.


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NATURE OF HUMAN BEINGS :PHILOSOPHICAL PERSPECTIVE

From the ancient Greek philosopher Platoonwards, the human being alone is able tounderstand and grasp rationally the world as

it is in itself, beyond every change.

Thus, human nature is closely linked to theability to think, and to act with thinking as a

guide.


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The central struggle in a person's life is to gaincontrol over the physical by means of therational.

As a consequence, Plato sees the flourishing ofhuman nature in its ability to control life withrational means.

He assumed a dichotomy between body andsoul. The soul is the site of reason, and as suchit is understood as eternal and (partly andpotentially) independent of the body


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Animals are without reason and hence to beunderstood according to mechanisticcausation only.

This view separates the human being sharplyfrom the rest of nature, and suggests thatwhat is specifically human cannot be

investigated by the same principles that wereutilized by the emerging modern naturalsciences.


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Recently, the discussion about human naturehas taken a new turn as new developments inbiology, especially genetics, contribute to what

can be called an essentialistview of humannature.

This implies that what a human being is, or is tobecome, is determined by his or her genetic

dispositions. Thus, there is an identification of human nature

with the given genetic conditions. T

his view puts little emphasis on the socialimpact on the formation of humans.

NATURE OF HUMAN BEINGSBIOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE


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NATURE OF HUMAN BEINGSBIOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE

CHARLES DARWINS THEORY OF EVOLUTION

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