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Chapter Three - Human Nature Who or What Are We, and What Are We Doing Here? Roots of Wisdom 6th Edition Helen Buss Mitchell

The document discusses different views of human nature, comparing the "avocado view" which sees humans as having a stable core self, to the "artichoke view" which sees humans as inconsistent with no enduring core. It examines perspectives from Western philosophy, religions, and non-Western traditions on the nature of the human self and whether humans have an essential nature or are self-created. The document also explores how views of human nature relate to concepts like the meaning of life, human identity, and freedom.

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Adznaira Amilussin
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129 views16 pages

Chapter Three - Human Nature Who or What Are We, and What Are We Doing Here? Roots of Wisdom 6th Edition Helen Buss Mitchell

The document discusses different views of human nature, comparing the "avocado view" which sees humans as having a stable core self, to the "artichoke view" which sees humans as inconsistent with no enduring core. It examines perspectives from Western philosophy, religions, and non-Western traditions on the nature of the human self and whether humans have an essential nature or are self-created. The document also explores how views of human nature relate to concepts like the meaning of life, human identity, and freedom.

Uploaded by

Adznaira Amilussin
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Chapter Three – Human Nature

Who or What Are We, And What Are We


Doing Here?

Roots of Wisdom
6th edition
Helen Buss Mitchell
The Issued Defined
• What is human nature?
• If a computer can pass for a human being,
does this mean there are no essential
differences between humans and
computers?
• Are human beings unique among animals?
• Is there something that sets us apart and
makes us human?
A Case Study
• An African Grey parrot, named Alex by his
owner Professor Irene Pepperberg, had a
parrot’s capacity to imitate human speech
sounds.
• However, with the brain size of a shelled
walnut, Alex demonstrated his capacity for
thought and intention.
• Sometimes, Alex even used to give the right
answer to.
• What distinguishes Alex the African Grey
parrot from human beings?
Human Nature
• Avocado View
• An enduring, stable self is seen as existing at
the core of a person
• Artichoke View
• A person is understood as inconsistent with no
enduring stable core
Human Nature
Avocado View
• - Plato and Aristotle valued reason as defining
human nature; both identified men more with the
rational element and women more with the
irrational element – emotions and the body
- Christianity asserts that we humans are made in
the image and likeness of God.
- Like the Creator, we know who we are—we are
self-conscious—and we have the capacity for
love. Indeed, we are moral selves obliged to love
and serve our Creator.
Human Nature
Avocado View
• The Islamic Tradition
- humans (male and female) are created in the
“form of God [Allah]”
- no original sin – instead, forgetfulness
- humans have dual status, as servant and
viceregent of God
- nafs – the false, temporary identities that keep
humans from experiencing their true spiritual
essence
Human Nature
Artichoke View
• The Protean (changing) Self
- stands in contrast with the essentialist views of
Plato and Aristotle
- This view agrees that we are nothing but our
layers and finds this reasonable and healthy.
- Lacking a central core, as posited by the avocado
view, we are able to respond to the lack of
continuity we find in the world by adapting to it.
- The psychologically healthy approach might be
to imitate Proteus and change with a changing
world.
Human Nature
Artichoke View
• Existentialism or the self-created self
- stands in contrast with the essentialist views of
Plato and Aristotle
- asserts that a person comes into being as a bare
existence and exists without a fixed essence
- by choosing and standing accountable for our
choices, we can create a “self”
Human Nature
Artichoke View
• Nahua Three Element Balance Model
- Tonalli, which resides in the head, provides vigor and
vital energy for growth and development
- Teyolia, which resides in the heart, provides memory,
emotion, knowledge, and wisdom
- Ihiyotl, which resides in the liver, provides passion,
bravery, and happiness
- only during human life on earth are these three forces
fully commingled in a human person
- working in harmony they can produce a mentally,
physically, and morally pure, upright, whole, and
balanced person
Non-Western Views

• Hinduism and Buddhism


• in some Hindu thinking, a stable core self, or
atman, persists and is identical with Brahman,
the ultimate ground of being
• in contrast, Buddhist doctrines propose the
opposite of atman, i.e. “anatman” to describe
the nature of the human person: there is no
permanent, separate self
Non-Western Views
• Chinese Five Element View
• Some Taoist thinking portrays the person as composed
of the same five elements (fire, wood, metal, earth and
water) that make up the rest of the cosmos
• African Synthesis Model
• Some African thought understands a complementary
equality of male and female principles evidenced in the
same figure – whether it be a High God or a human
child.
Meaning of Life

• Non-Western Views
• creativity in African thought
• harmony and balance in Taoist thought
• enlightenment in Buddhist thought
• Western Views
Sense of a unique human nature has led to
conceiving of the meaning of life in terms of
the meaning of being human
Human Identity and Freedom
• To what extent do racial and ethnic labels, as well as
gender, shape how we think of ourselves?
• Is it even possible to ignore our physical characteristics?
• Is it possible to be color-blind or gender-blind?
• Are race, gender and sexual orientation the source of
prejudice and the basis of discrimination? Or the
foundation for pride and group solidarity?
• Race, gender and sexual orientation as examples of the
variables sometimes involved in addressing questions of
the meaning of life and/or of being human
Insight Paper 1 – The
Philosophical Self
In the form of an ESSAY
• Based on my responses in the previous activity (the
way I symbolized myself) – Do I follow an “avocado”
or “artichoke” way of thinking – Explain in detail why -
cite examples from your experiences

• Based on my views of myself, which philosophical


mindset do I follow (ancient, medieval, modern,
postmodern) – Explain in detail why - cite examples
from your experiences

• Due next meeting


Format
• the following format should be used:
• Times New Roman 12, 1” margin, double
spaced, justified, minimum of 2 WHOLE
pages, short bond paper
• ID number and date of submission should
be placed on the upper right-hand corner
of the paper.
• Late submissions of requirements are
allowed (within 3 days after due date),
but with a 5-point deduction from the
grade every day it is late

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