Human Nature
Institution
The various theories of human nature vary from philosopher to philosopher since they all have their perception of human life. Rene Descartes, who was a French philosopher and mathematician had significant influence during the Dutch Golden Age. He often distinguished himself by refuting and attempting to undo the ideas of his predecessors. He believes in all things that are not certain and creates an emphasis on the comprehension of that which can be known for sure. He further argues that knowledge is obtained from the certainty of the existence of an individual’s consciousness and the innate ideas it contains. The main contents of these ideas are mathematical ideas and the idea of the presence of God. This platform claims to ascertain that all knowledge is built.
David Hume, on the other hand, focuses on creating a naturalistic science of man that entails the psychological conditions that define human nature. His ideas were fueled by the curiosity to know how passions control human behavior, contrary to Descartes, who focused on reason. He also refuted dogmatic religious and moral belief in preference to a sentimental approach towards human nature. He also stated that our ethical behavior and treatment of others is forced by emotions, sentiments, and internal passions, which are aimed at positive responses by their probable outcomes.
Soren Kierkegaard was mainly focused on the idea of a single individual. His philosophical works focused on concrete reality over abstract thought. He also viewed personal choice and commitment as preeminent. He explored the idea of objective versus subjective truths and argued that assumptions in theology were inherently subjective and arbitrary because they could not be verified or invalidated by science. Moreover, he was the first to come up with the concept of angst, which he defined as a dread that emerges from the anxieties over choice, freedom, and vague emotions.