Augustine on human nature Flashcards
What was Jean Jacques Rousseau’s interpretation of human nature?
What did he say about human nature in his book The Social Contract?
Jean Jacques Rousseau argued that humans are essentially generous and only act otherwise according to circumstance.
‘Man is born free, and everywhere he is in chains’. Here, he argues that the human competition for land, resources and power resulted in the loss of freedom. Therefore, the purpose of life is to cut free from these chains and rediscover the state of nature by becoming more co-operative with each other.
What was Thomas Hobbes’ interpretation of human nature?
Thomas Hobbes argued that in a state of nature, humans aren’t naturally co-operative but selfish and animal like. Unlike animals, however, human reason allows them to realise that if they cooperate, life becomes more tolerable. Therefore, the purpose of life is to conquer the animalistic side of human nature to create just and fair societies.
