Themes in the First Two Chapters of Being Human Core Reading in the Humanities Mo McCarty Capella University PHI2050 Human Nature and Ethics Instructor Dr. Anne Edwards Three themes in the first two chapters of “Being Human core readings in the humanities” (President’s Council on Boiethics, 2004), that I am going to write about are: the conflicts of the individual versus society, the artfulness of nature or reality, and drives (what compels us). I believe these are important touch stones of humanity, and they have personal significance for me. One law, One Manner for All (Parfitt, 1995) The conflicts of individuals and culture, or society, are ever present. One could say the greatest spiritual teacher of the western world, Jesus, was a case study in the dangers of non-conformity. He was after all, crucified; in essence for being a heretic. A cursory reading of the stories surrounding him will place non-conformity as his chief crime. Is it too odd that we consider people with similar life scripts as having messianic complexes ( Ramm Dass, 1971). Baumiester & Bushman (2008) in Social Psychology and Human Nature, wrote from a social psychology perspective , a great deal about the beliefs and desires of us as a collective, versus our natural inclinations as individuals, “Nature says go and culture says stop” P 47 , they wrote. But besides what would constitute simply anti-social behavior, there are behaviors that rock the boat too much, there are ideas that although true, are destructive to the smooth operation of society as we know it. Baumeister & Bushman (2008) explained that culture will try to function smoothly, when culture may or may not truly be benefiting its members in the best way, it is a program that will attempt to keep running unchecked, providing us security and hopefully safety. Descartes, in “Discourse on Method” (President’s Council on Boiethics, 2004), was at some disagreement with his culture, he observed the tangential nature of much of the literature which was a brunt of his higher education, as well as the short comings of philosophy. He explained that the literature he had read, was at times very fanciful, while philosophy never proved anything unanimously. On critiquing other aspects of his education, he believed what should prevail, was science. By science we could prove things and gain understanding and benefit from nature. And he was right, although he probably put himself in some danger for having these individual opinions, (President’s Council on Boiethics, 2004) free thinking was dangerous in his time. E. O. Wilson makes the best out of what culture has to offer, which may be the best thing to do in many situations. He accepts, for instance, that religion is a powerful and fulfilling experience, even though his own experience with religion leaves him dissatisfied because of human shortcomings (President’s Council on Boiethics, 2004). He also makes the best out of military academy, which could be a fertile ground for rebellion, but without sacrificing his own critical thinking skills, he takes what is of value from it just as he had done in regard to religion (President’s Council on Boiethics, 2004). Another writer, Richard P. Fenyman, (President’s Council on Boiethics, 2004), wrote about learning to again “play” in the scientific field of physics. He made great discoveries and won the Nobel Prize, while playing rather than what most would call “working” (President’s Council on Boiethics, 2004). Maybe in some ways we are taught wrongly, Coon & Mitter (2010) in Introduction to Psychology, wrote about the benefits of intrinsic motivation, and think Fenyman’s story delightfully illustrates how intrinsic motivation is what produces real and fulfilling accomplishments. While society might push extrinsic motivators on us ( Coon & Mitter, 2010) which are less than fulfilling. It could be said that Nathaniel Hawthorn (President’s Council on Boiethics, 2004), in “The Birthmark”, which was a story about a husband who couldn’t accept his wife in whole, because he found her small hand shaped birthmark unsightly in extreme, was also a story about the individual versus culture, among other things. Like Baumeister & Bushman (2008) explained, culture as a part of human nature, will attempt to make a uniformity, and the birthmark in the story may have been a great example of individuality versus the social standard. Looked at like this, the story, for me, takes on added depth; as does the wife’s death, because the birthmark was attached to her heart and couldn’t be safely removed (President’s Council on Boiethics, 2004), our hearts are in our individuality, not in our culture, which is why the knit picking husband in the story could risk his wife life over what could be called a beauty mark by a more noble person. Motivation (Drive) & Tathagata Other dimensions in this writings include, what motivates us, our drives ambitions, as well as the beauty and artfulness of how things are, and how we are. Tathagata is a Buddhist word, meaning along the lines of “Thus come” or “thus arrived” (Pabuddhasvithara. net). Another way of defining it I have read (author unknown) is that there is a certain sublime quality to the natural order of things, and the way reality unfolds. E. O. Wilson definitely notices this, both as a naturalist, but also accepting the story of his own life, and the way his life has unfolded and progresses. From a readers standpoint there is beauty to be found in the story of his life, that as his vision is damaged from natural observation (ironically) and limits his abilities as a naturalist, he continues observing what he can, which turns out to be bugs (President’s Council on Boiethics, 2004) There is beauty in the natural order that created the hated blemish in Hawthorns “The Birthmark” (President’s Council on Boiethics, 2004). And Fenyman’s true enjoyment of physics, I suspect, is to understand the beautiful simplicity of the natural order of things. Drives, are also apparent in these stories, in a way we have elaborated on the social drives that motivated the husband in “The Birthmark” and the differences in extrinsic and intrinsic motivation, and the value of being self-inspired, in discussing Fenyman’s work. Drives are also a part of E. O. Wilson’s writing, probably his drive to be a naturalist is a motivation for perceiving and understanding beauty, which would be an intrinsic motivation, indeed, he was self-inspired to adventure to the sea shore and witness the beautiful and strange animals that came near the shore (President’s Council on Boiethics, 2004), and this at a very young age. People can’t have these values thrust on them, which is probably a key to unlock the best in us all, and is also very counter intuitive, Alfie Kohn goes into convincing detail to explain, in his book “Punished by Rewards” Reference Baumeister & Bushman (2008) Social Psychology and Human Nature Belmont CA Wadsworth Coon & Mitter (2010) Introduction to Psychology Belmont Ca Wadsworth Parfitt (1995) The New Living Qabalah Boston Element Books Pabuddhasvithara.net meaning of Tathagata retrieved from pabuddhistvihara.net/uploads/Q19Tathagata.pdf President’s Council on Bioethics ( 2004) New York W. W. Norton Ramm Dass (1971) Bed Here Now New York Crown Publishing Group
Posted on: Tue, 03 Sep 2013 02:39:26 +0000
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