OnHumanNature

　　Philosophershaveinitiatedadebateaboutthehumannaturesincethemankindgottoprobeintoitself.Theterm"stateofnature"isusedtorefertothehypotheticalconditionofhumansbeforesocialfactorsareimposed,thusattemptingtodescribethe"naturalessence"ofhumannature.Mostviewsofitfallinthreetypicalgroups.

　　Viewsinthefirstgroupseehumansasinherentlygood.ThemostfamoustheoryinthisgroupisJohnLocke'ssocialcontracttheory.AccordingtoLocke,humansinthestateofnaturehaveabsolutefreedomtomaketheirordersandtaketheiractions,withouthavingtoaskpermissionfromanyoneelse.Peoplearebornequal,andwillingtotreateachotherastheywouldliketobetreated.Thiswillisknownassympathy,thesourceofjusticeandkindnessandeventuallyallvirtues.InancientChinaawidelyknownphilosopher,themostnotablediscipleofConfucius,Mencius,heldsimilarpoints,declaringthathumansarenaturallymoralbeingsbutarecorruptedbysociety.

　　Thesecondgroupincludesviewsthatseehumansasinherentlybad.Accordingtooriginalsin,humansinthestateofnaturearetarnishedbythesinofAdam.Laterthegrouphadamorerationalspeaker,ThomasHobbes.Hobbesbelievedthathumansinthestateofnaturewouldbehave"badly"towardsoneanother,buthearguedthatpeoplehadeveryrighttodefendthemselvesbywhatevermeans.Famously,hebelievedthatsuchaconditionwouldleadtoa"warofeverymanagainsteveryman"andmakelife"solitary,poor,nasty,brutish,andshort."SimilartheoriesalsocanbefoundinancientChina.Xuncius,anotherfollowerofConfuciusasMencius,simplyrejectedMencius'claim.Insteadheassertedthat"HumanDispositionsareDetestable".

　　Therestviewsthatformthelastgroupstandaneutralpointinthedebate.Theygenerallybelievethathumanbehaviorisdeterminedbybiologicalandsocialfactors,sothereisnoclearboundarybetween“good”and“evil”andnothingistobeblamedbutthegeneaswellastheenvironment.Andofthetwofactorswhichonedecidesmore?Alsoknownas“natureversusnurture”,thisquestioncompelsenormousstudies.

　　Beingaconstantstrangertophilosophy,I’vegotnothingtodobutjustskimoverallofthetheoriesmentionedabove,keepthinkingabouthumannatureinmyownwayassociatedwithfamiliarexamplesinmyownsurroundings,andundoubtedlyendupallthesewithoutexplicitconclusions.BecausewheneverItrytofigureinmymindwhathumannatureislike,Icouldnothelprecallingsomanystoriesaboutit,eachofwhichconflictswithoneanother.Theymessmeupandkeepmefromaclearimageaboutit.ThereforeIhavetoholdamoderateopinionuntilIfindnewkeyevidencetoprovewhetherhumannatureisgoodorevil.Beforethat,Ichoosetobelievethathumannatureisindeedlikeacoinandneithersidecaneasilydominate.

　　Sept'2006,JadingCampus,TongjiUniv.