On Human Nature

Human nature, an ancient topic, has been studied by many philosophers at all times and in all countries, which leads to different discussions. The questions of what the characteristics of human nature are, what causes them and how this causation works, and how fixed human nature is have been the most attractive around the world.

But what is human nature? As far as I am concerned, it has two meanings. First, just as its name implies, human nature refers to the natural instinct of human beings formed in a given social system and historical context, an exclusive character distinguishing from other objects, such as the ability of using language, word, music or other tools to communicate, individually thinking and reflecting, creating, uniting and cooperating, the consciousness of planning at present and for the future, the capability of understanding and reforming the objective world and so on. On the other hand, human nature also implies the values, outlooks and ethics that men should contain which can be used to judge and treat different kinds of relationships between human beings, and a source of norms of conduct or ways of life, as well as presenting obstacles or constraints on living a good life.

What's more, human nature can contain 8 aspects in space structure, that is, behavior, shape, emotion, sprite, cognition, purpose, history and future. And in the effect of time, they influence each other and can not be separated.

As everything has dual characters, human nature also has strengths and weakness. In terms of weakness, as an individual, one may easily run to blame and complain about others, sometimes with maliciousness. And one may always be selfish, living in his world without the consciousness of social responsibility. When he is attacked or threaten, one will become to protect his own benefits but overlook others' needs, interests and so on, and disrespect others. One may be overconfident but can't find his shortcomings, so he won't see and appreciate others' merits and then become complacent. Facing hard work men are apt to be tired and then lazy. To keep one's personality is a hard task but to follow the crowd much easier. A majority of people prefer to live comfortably and smoothly without a good ability of resisting shock and pressure. There is much more points to present the weakness of human nature. On the opposite, all these weakness can be regarded as strengths when we change our mind to think.

Then, a more confused question has been raised up. Is human nature good or bad? It has no exact answer up to now. But in the ancient China, there were four discussions：

1. The original human nature is good.

The well-known Three Character Primer said, "Men at their birth are naturally good." Confucius and Mencius also consider the goodness of human nature. Many famous Confucianism theories are in favor of this view.

2. The original human nature is bad.

Xunzi denies any natural goodness of human nature but believes that human nature is anxious for interests and lusts. He argues the original human nature has no ethical cultivation and any good behaviors are the results of nurture and environmental influence. He affirmed the possibility that a bad man can be cultivated into a good one under the condition of external moral norms.

3. Human nature can't be said to have the distinction of goodness or badness.

This view is presented in the theory of Gaozi and Taoism. The two typical representatives of Taoism, Laozi and Zhuangzi, hold that the original human nature is innocence and no desire, is in a state of inertia. The purpose of life is on keeping the native state of human nature. He advocates human beings should return to the baby state of innocence and men should go with the nature.

4. Human nature is not only good but also bad.

Dong Zhongshu, a philosopher in the spring and autumn period, considers the goodness is from human nature and human nature also has emotion but the emotion is bad.

It is hard to know and tell what the real nature of human beings is. Every school has its own view, and every view can make sense. Actually, it is our attitude towards life that decides whether the human nature is good or bad. When you believe human is born with evil, you will look the world negative. Everything around you then becomes dark, despairing and dirty. One may live without love, hope and warmth. In the contract, one may have the confidence and power to climb up, to grow and to exist. Thus I prefer the view that the real nature of human is good, or more precisely, a nature of pursuing goodness. How can one be confident and positive without holding the belief in mind that everyone has the power to go further? Your belief on whether the human nature is good or bad can be regarded as a bright mirror that reflects your inner world.

In the Chinese culture, Mencius is the first philosopher who has announced the import of human nature vividly. Mencius asserts that the innate goodness of the individual, believing that it is the society's influence - its lack of a positive cultivating influence - that causes bad moral character. He said that "He who exerts his mind to the utmost knows his nature." and "the way of learning is none other than finding the lost mind."

To show the innate goodness, Mencius comes up with the four beginnings，that is, the feeling of commiseration is the beginning of humanity; the feeling of shame and dislike is the beginning of righteousness; the feeling of deference and compliance is the beginning of propriety; and the feeling of right or wrong is the beginning of wisdom. Expanding the four beginnings, Mencius puts forward four virtues that are the inherent contents of human nature and the standard of distinguishing humans，that is humanity, justice, propriety and wisdom.

Human nature has an innate tendency towards goodness, but moral rightness cannot be instructed down to the last detail. This is why merely external controls always fail in improving society. True improvement results from educational

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