Theories of Human Nature
“A very fine book on human nature, both what it is and what philosophers have thought about it—philosophers in an inclusive sense, from Plato and Aristotle to Mengzi and Xunzi, from Hume and Kant to Ibn al-Arabi to Marx and Rousseau and including many others. The writing is lively and accessible, the philosophy insightful, and the sense of human possibilities conveyed admirable. It will fit nicely into many different sorts of classes.”
—John Perry, Stanford University
SKU
26981g
eBook available for $14.95. Click HERE for more information.
Questions for Further Consideration and Recommended Further Reading, which follow each relevant chapter, encourage readers to think further and to craft their own perspectives.
Reviews:
“A very fine book on human nature, both what it is and what philosophers have thought about it—philosophers in an inclusive sense, from Plato and Aristotle to Mengzi and Xunzi, from Hume and Kant to Ibn al-Arabi to Marx and Rousseau and including many others. The writing is lively and accessible, the philosophy insightful, and the sense of human possibilities conveyed admirable. It will fit nicely into many different sorts of classes.”
—John Perry, Stanford University
“I find this text very good and comprehensive for an introductory level course to introduce students to some major theories. The first two chapters are great for setting the stage for what philosophy is.”
—Patricia Murphy, Saint Joseph's University
About the Author:
Joel J. Kupperman is Professor of Philosophy, University of Connecticut. Among his many publications are Six Myths about the Good Life: Thinking about What Has Value, Classic Asian Philosophy: A Guide to the Essential Texts, and Human Nature: A Reader. Theories of Human Nature and Human Nature: A Reader are also availble together as a print or eBook set. For more information on the set, please click HERE.
Contents:
Preface
PART I INTRODUCTION
Chapter 1: Why Philosophers Have Wanted Theories of Human Nature
Chapter 2: Two Foci of Theories of Human Nature
PART II SOME ANCIENT VIEWS OF HUMAN NATURE
Chapter 3: The Upanishads and Buddha
Chapter 4: Confucius
Chapter 5: Plato and Aristotle (and Some Freudian Echoes of Plato): Parts of the Mind That Can Achieve a Proper Harmony
Chapter 6: Mengzi and Xunzi: The Capacity for True Benevolence
Chapter 7: The Christian Doctrine of Original Sin: Essential Human Imperfection
PART III SOME MODERN VIEWS
Chapter 8: Hobbes (and Some Darwinian Echoes)
Chapter 9: Butler and Hume: Inherent Tendencies toward Altruism
Chapter 10: Kant: The Need for Reason to Dominate
Chapter 11: Marx and Alienation: Our Flawed Participation in Life
Chapter 12: Sartre and Kierkegaard: Radical Incompleteness as the Human Lot
Chapter 13: Arendt: Making Oneself Distinct
Chapter 14: Some Additional Views in Brief: Ibn al-Arabi, Spinoza, Pascal, and Rousseau
PART IV SOME CONCLUSIONS
Chapter 15: Human Nature in Philosophy and in Everyday Thought
Index
