Premium Essay

Are People Innately Good

In: Other Topics

Submitted By Eduajeten1988
Words 604
Pages 3
From: Fiona Doda
Subject: “ Are people innately good”
Date: 22 June 2014

In this world are many good and bad people. We don’t know why some of them turn to be good and others turn to be bad. We don’t know what causes these different changes in the people. “ Kluger” argues one most mysterious topic of all times: What makes human kind become unethical. We are great species who have accomplished so much, capable of giving unconditional love but in the same time jealous, selfish and destructive. Through centuries humans have struggled to define what is good and ethical and tried to remain moral by creating the law, but this doesn’t say that if it is lawful is ethical. This is what “ Jefferey Kluger” describes by giving us the example of the “ moral ape”. “The empathy we feel towards each other, the understanding to know what hurts, and how is it going to effect the next person.” “ He argues that we are not the only species who feel and less complex species than human do have empathy. Which leads us to the today’s essay question “ Are people innately good”. I believe that we all are born good but life consequences, Human communities and tragic event influences the way on how people behave.
Human communities are another factor that plays an important role on how people are. Communities have rules and you have to obey these rules and these means that you have to go beyond your believes and thoughts. Kluger discuses “ The phenomena of Good Samaritan laws that require passerby to assist someone in peril.” Human communities are different in different cultures. Sometimes even though you don’t want to do something bad you are obligated by the rules of your community to change.

Tragic events do create shift a person mind. A childhood trauma or the death of a loved one does inflect terrible pain and leads him/her to deviate from his/hers life path. How many stories of

Similar Documents

Premium Essay

Gtra

...Mrs. Pompilio Lord of the Flies 19 November, 2012 Good or Evil Humans are born both good and evil. Some believe humans are born evil and some think it depends on your morals. William Golding, the author of Lord of the Flies believes humans are born evil but society keeps us from showing it. He believes all humans are born innately evil. Golding shows the reader this through examples in Lord of the Flies. Jeffery Kluger, the author of Time magazine article “What Makes Us Moral” believes it depends on how you are raised. William Golding and Jeffery Kluger have different opinions on if people are born innately good or innately evil. William Golding, the author of Lord of the Flies, believes humans are born innately evil through Lord of the Flies. Golding shows humans are evil through this quote "Roger stooped, picked up a stone, aimed, and threw it at Henry-threw it to miss" (Golding 62). This shows humans are evil because Roger is devolving from civilization and society is the only thing keeping him from Henry. Roger’s arm is controlled by civilization which is stopping him from throwing the rock at Henry. Another example is when the boys kill Simon. "A thing was crawling out of the forest. It came darkly, uncertainly. The shrill screaming that rose before the beast was like a pain. The beast stumbled into the horseshoe." (Golding 152). This shows humans are evil because the boys kill Simon even though they know he will be the only one to emerge from the forest. Simon’s death...

Words: 798 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

Ferrari

...Hassan Ahmed Mrs. Pompilio Lord of the Flies 19 November, 2012 Good or Evil Humans are born both good and evil. Some believe humans are born evil and some think it depends on your morals. William Golding, the author of Lord of the Flies believes humans are born evil but society keeps us from showing it. He believes all humans are born innately evil. Golding shows the reader this through examples in Lord of the Flies. Jeffery Kluger, the author of Time magazine article “What Makes Us Moral” believes it depends on how you are raised. William Golding and Jeffery Kluger have different opinions on if people are born innately good or innately evil. William Golding, the author of Lord of the Flies, believes humans are born innately evil through Lord of the Flies. Golding shows humans are evil through this quote "Roger stooped, picked up a stone, aimed, and threw it at Henry-threw it to miss" (Golding 62). This shows humans are evil because Roger is devolving from civilization and society is the only thing keeping him from Henry. Roger’s arm is controlled by civilization which is stopping him from throwing the rock at Henry. Another example is when the boys kill Simon. "A thing was crawling out of the forest. It came darkly, uncertainly. The shrill screaming that rose before the beast was like a pain. The beast stumbled into the horseshoe." (Golding 152). This shows humans are evil because the boys kill Simon even though they know he will be the only one to emerge from the forest...

Words: 800 - Pages: 4

Free Essay

On Modern Day Vampirism and Feminism

...On Modern Day Vampirism and Feminism Modern day vampirism in media has taken the subtle thoughts and ideas of feminism portrayed by classic vampire literature and transformed it into a blatant disrespect and degradation of women. Perhaps the clearest example of this can be found in the Twilight novels and movies. The thing that interests me most about this is that TONS of females ranging from teenagers to the elderly flock to these movies and pre order their tickets. Do these people just not understand what is being so obviously portrayed in these movies and novels or is it that they understand and have just been so absorbed into the way society views women and their roles that they just don’t care? These people are falling into the system that continuously puts women lower than men, a system that states that women NEED men in order to survive and attain happiness. They love watching this fantasy where a helpless woman is rescued by her knight in shining armor. The essay titled TWILIGHT and PHILOSOPHY – VAMPIRES, VEGETARIANS AND THE PURSUIT OF IMMORTALITY discusses and analyses some of these issues of gender roles and femininity. Bella is one of the main characters in Twilight, and she truly displays the stereotypical misogynistic view of what a woman should act like. “Bella has no identifiable interests or talents; she is incompetent in the fact of almost every challenge.” (133). This quote sums up Bella’s character throughout all of the novels and movies. She is just...

Words: 1018 - Pages: 5

Premium Essay

Stereotypes In STEM

...Women make up 47 percent of the United States workforce, but only 27 percent of the people working in STEM-related occupations are women. The percentage of women working in STEM has grown exponentially over the last century; however, the stereotype that women are not as good as men at math and science is still being perpetuated through a variety of ways. This stereotype, though it may be inadvertently preserved by parents, teachers, and employers, affects society and women themselves in a number of negative ways. The untrue stereotype that men are more proficient in STEM fields than women leads to parental bias, a decrease in women’s confidence in their ability to understand math and science, and employment disparity and discrimination. The...

Words: 1017 - Pages: 5

Free Essay

Mencius on Human Nature

...molding based on an external environment, but that it was only their pre-existing natural inborn goodness that needed to be tapped into. Confucians (like the Xunzi for example) thought that people were born innately evil. Mencius improved upon both of those by claiming the natural genetic state of humans is good only with the potential of the environment to develop that natural goodness. Mencius' message did not entail that all humans are born good, but that humans are born with certain positive instinctual temperaments that are made good by personal development and molding from interaction with the environment. Within the analogy of the four germ sprouts, Mencius states four potentials that are hardwired into human genes; “From the feeling of commiseration benevolence grows; from the feeling of shame righteousness grows; from the feeling of courtesy ritual grows; from a sense of right and wrong, wisdom grows. People have these four germs, just as they have four limbs”. These views on human behavior point more toward modern psychology/sociology because they accept that innate human states are less significant than their position within the context of an influence from their environment. Mencius responds to Gaozi's statement about water with, “There are no people who are not good and no water that does not flow down . Still water if splashed can go higher than your head; if forced, it can be brought up a hill. This isn't the nature of water; it is the specific circumstances...

Words: 349 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

Personality and Interpersonal Relationships

...Introduction Personality theorist are interested in the structure of an individual, how are people “put together”, how do they “work” and how do they “fall apart” (Boeree, n.d). Other personality theorists go as far as saying that they are looking for the essence of life, what it means to be a human being. Since the science of personality can be so complex, many psychologists have dedicated their life to the field of personality, attempting to understand and clarify what makes each individual unique and different from everyone. Several personality theories were born in the course of time, two of those theories of personality are called psychoanalytical and humanistic theories. This paper will further explain each of them, their strengths and limitations, their assumption, amongst other crucial factors for each approach. Psychodynamic Theories Various psychologists contributed to the formation of psychodynamic theories of personality including Carl Jung, Alfred Adler, Karen Horney, Melanie Klein, Harry S. Sullivan, along with others, yet one of the most influential psychologists in psychodynamic theories was Sigmund Freud. While Freud’s theories were later changed or dismissed, his ideas and research were used by many others and have greatly influenced society as it is currently known; moreover his psychoanalytic theory was the original and primary psychodynamic theory which was adjusted by some of his followers previously mentioned. According to McLeod (2007), the psychodynamic...

Words: 1291 - Pages: 6

Premium Essay

Sovereignty In Religion

...Jeremiah 32:17 1 Chronicles 29:11-12 Psalm 103:19 God’s sovereignty in the life of the believer. Romans 8:28 states, “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” How does this verse speak of God’s sovereignty in the life of the believer? Understanding God’s sovereignty reminds believers of His love and the fact that nothing will take place in their lives apart from what He either commands or allows. God’s Wisdom Definitions of Wisdom: “Having the power of discerning and judging properly as to what is true or right; possessing discernment, judgment, or discretion. Possessed of or characterized by scholarly knowledge or learning.” A.W. Tozer says, In the Holy Scriptures wisdom, when used of God and good...

Words: 1435 - Pages: 6

Premium Essay

Why Is Morality Wrong

...Morality is a separate and distinct being from god they are however symbiotic of each other however it is shown that god doesn’t always follow morality so it can’t possibly be greater than him It could be argued that morality exists separately from god as murder is innately wrong in humanity people detest and are sickened by such actions it is encoded in our human psychology to think murder is wrong if you see a person bleeding you think it is an emergency and act in such a manner as an attempt to preserve life Plato’s form of the good and god in the bible are very similar they are both sources of goodness also they aren’t physical beings and are instead transcendent existing on a different plain from our existence however the form of the...

Words: 421 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

Consumer Business

...The question I chose to answer is question number 4: Differentiate between innate and acquired needs. Give an example of each. Consumers purchase two kinds of things throughout their life. Consumers purchase necessary goods, which are based on innate needs and are things that they need to get through daily life or things that they are naturally drawn to. Consumers also buy goods based on acquired needs which are luxuries. Acquired needs are requirements that have occurred in adult hood, or maybe as they’ve grown up. Throughout this paper I will differentiate between innate and acquired needs. Innate needs are needs that a person is born with they are biogenic in nature and include some factors that are needed to sustain life and are considered as motives or primary needs. Simple things like food, water, clothes, shoes and other necessities are purchased based on innate needs. Sometimes a customer may buy a luxury version on the product, but these products are still required for their daily life. An innate need is a product that a customer cannot go without in their life. Acquired needs are needs acquired after birth and are primarily psychological. These are needs learned because of culture or environment. They include prestige, love, acceptance, esteem, and self-fulfillment. A house will meet the innate needs for shelter, however a mansion in Beverly Hills meets more than an innate need, so it is an acquired need. There is an overlap when a consumer buys...

Words: 340 - Pages: 2

Free Essay

Mencius and Xunzi on Cultivation

...position in the Confucian tradition as Mencius’s belief that human nature is originally good has often been interpreted into certain sayings of Confucius. Additionally, Xunzi’s claim that human nature is “evil” and that people can be transformed to become good may be inconsistent, as they imply Mencius’s claim that human nature is inherently good. For this reason, it is crucial to analyze both thinkers separately as integration of one thinker’s original thought to another may obscure the important aspects of the assimilated thinker’s position. Secondly, this method of analysis will show that the debate is not one conducted from extreme opposites as it may seem at first sight, for both Mencius and Xunzi agreed that man must cultivate his goodness consciously regardless of whether he is born with it or acquires it from the state. The differences in their views on human nature lead to the ultimate difference of interpretation of the betterment of human nature. Although both philosophers had differences, their ultimate goal was to suggest that human beings can be good and this is what the state needed in such a crucial time in China’s history. To elaborate further on human nature, it is crucial to look at its development within each philosopher’s teachings. Mencius, being the idealist that he was, believed in the innate goodness of man. He believed that man's ability to learn how to be a good and responsible citizen stems from and thrives upon his innate...

Words: 2133 - Pages: 9

Premium Essay

First Language Acquisition

...environment the child is in. Then here’s Derek Bickerton (1981) who proposes what human beings are bio-programmed. Like flowering plants, people are innately, or inborn to release certain language from stage to stage. Chomsky states here that knowledge or our ability in language is innate in us when were born. Universal Closely related to the innateness controversy is the claim that language is universally acquired in the same manner, and moreover, that the deep structured of language at its deepest level may be common to all languages. The child’s initial state is supposed to consist of a set of universal principles which specify some limited possibilities of variation, expressible in terms of parameters which need to be fixed in one of a few possible ways (Saleemi 1992:58) In simpler terms, this means that the child task of language learning is manageable because of certain naturally occurring constraints Imitations It is a common, informal observation that children are “good imitators”. We think of children typically as imitators and mimics, and then conclude that imitation is one of the important strategies a child uses in the acquisition of language. Here are some problems with the imitation perspective: Children produce many things not in the adult grammar. (like ‘nana’ for banana), i.e. they produce things not produced by adults. Some people might say that this is simply a consequence of the difficulty of learning how to speak and not a problem for the imitation. Children...

Words: 473 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

Critical Thinking Essay

...Comprehension is simply understanding what the issue is and obtaining facts to support the position. At this point all the information attained by the individual should be gathered and applied for analysis where the definite approach will be decided. Next, synthesize the ideas and conclude which outcomes would be favorable. Finally, execute the final decision and evaluate the results. Government Officials, Politicians, and Influential Leaders should only serve with ethics in favor of the people that they impact but they are unable because they’re human. The way that we affect others is a product of Nature vs. Nurture. One’s upbringings, experiences, and surroundings effect their influence on others. Although, if the individuals think critically enough to understand their own anomalies they would be able to set them aside to administer non-biased ethics in favor of the people. My preferred ethical lens is reputation. My decision making is guided by intuition and the greatest good for the majority. Unrealistic role expectations is my blind spot. My...

Words: 534 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Tips on Persuasive Writing

...Persuasive writing is more than relaying information. It’s about convincing, compelling, and impacting the reader. In order to be good at this type of writing you must know your audience. And in order to know your audience you must be an exceptional listener. Listening is the ability to accurately receive and interpret messages in the communication process. Listening is key to effective communicating, and persuasive writing. If you listen to your audience, you will learn, if you learn you will know your audience. It is when you know your audience then you can use the angles of persuasion in your writing. In your persuasive writing always understand that the reader is human, selfish, and innately looking for ‘what is in it’ for them. In order to effectively answer that question and write persuasively you must understand what motivates people, and what people want. People want to make and save money, people want to make and save more time, they want to reduce risk, they want to be recognized etc. Its understanding and applying these motivators and wants in your writing that will help the reader attach themselves to your opinion. Thus making your persuasive writing more effective. Cheney and Tompkins, essentially masters on the subject of human communication, have regarded four principals as the process of persuasive negotiating. Those being Guardedness, Accessibility, Nonviolence, and Empathy. Gaurdedness, you are you, and just because you listen/read doesn’t mean you have to...

Words: 425 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

How Convincing Are Butlers Claims That People Have an Innate Sense of Right and Wrong?

...How convincing are Butler’s claims that people have an innate sense of right and wrong? Joseph Butler was a bishop in the Church of England. He believed, similarly to Aquinas, that we have a God given ability to reason through the use of our conscience. Benevolence is, according to Butler, the natural tendency of all human beings. In dramatic contrast to what Freud would say from a modern perspective, Butler would argue that we are all essentially good. This is the foundation for Butler’s argument that we have an innate sense of right and wrong from our god given conscience. Hence, since we say that we are all essentially good self-love comes as one of the many ways to show such goodness as highlighted by Butler in his book “15 Sermons Preached at the Rolls Chapel”. We as innately benevolent people will want to help others as one of the many ways to show goodness. Butler also believed that human beings have two rational guides to behaviour: enlightened self-interest and conscience. Conscience helps the selfish human become virtuous and so provides a balance between these two tendencies. Butler, although believes we are essentially good people, doesn’t deny the fact that we have feelings and passions but says that it is our conscience and its god given sense of right and wrong judges between these passions as the “moral approving and disapproving faculty” and we therefore act proportionately according to our conscience. Overall Butler argues that each human has a direct insight...

Words: 639 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Fighting For The Rainforest Summary

...Rebellion, in which she hopes to discover ways to bring meaningful change to the region. Her goal for this book is to have a similar effect on the youth of America as the book Fighting for the Rainforest by Paul Richards. Lombard says the book informed people of the conflict in Sierra Leone, but it also showed the world the importance of studying conflicts. In a post cold war era, conflict transformed from a political struggle to being, “about primal drives, resources,...

Words: 512 - Pages: 3