Date post: | 31-Dec-2015 |
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QW: GOOD OR EVIL?
• What do you think? • Is there such a thing as human nature? • Are people born good? Evil? Neither? Both?• Give examples or tell a story to support your
response.
REACT TO EACH STATEMENT…
• Human beings are born evil—totally self-centered, prone to violence, devoid of human sympathy.• Even in acts of apparent kindness, humans
are basically responding to their own selfish needs.• People who give to charity do so for some
selfish motive (tax write-off, recognition, feel good, etc.)• If there were no laws, human society
would resemble an animal state—brutal and nasty with survival of fittest reigning supreme.
EGOISM
• Hobbes• “It’s all about me!”• Ego = self• Each person is only concerned about herself, her
happiness, her survival• We act ONLY out of self interest
EGOISM
• We are BORN selfish/self-interested• evil
• Laws are the only thing that keep our behavior in check • for the good/protection of ourselves
ALTRUISM
• Rousseau• We are born GOOD• We are naturally concerned about others• Society corrupts us, makes us evil/selfish• Don’t need laws—we have an inherent concern
for the good of others (society)
“TABULA RASA”
Perhaps humans are neither born good nor evil.
They start out as a blank slate and over time become more one way or the other.
TABULA RASA: DEFINITION
• No built-in knowledge/content• We learn everything from experience• Favors the “nurture” side of the nature v. nature
argument• DETERMINISM