The Traditional Theory of Human Nature

Abstract

The dominant theory of human nature in the Western tradition is that the human being is a peculiar sort of being, a rational animal. That is, the human is both animal and rational, pulled in two different directions at once. While the animal side of our nature seeks gratification in bodily pleasures or worldly goods, the rational side guides us toward higher values, in particular the famous Platonic triad of Truth, Beauty, and above all, the moral Good. The Darwinian account, in sharp contrast, insists that humans have only one dimension, the animal one. All of the “higher” values are merely indirect means of pursuing animal ends, in particular survival and reproduction. The remainder of this book asks which of these two views is more plausible.