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Original Nature Of Man - Online Term Papers

Original Nature Of Man

This essay is on the as perceived by Lao Tzu, Confucius, Mencius, Kao Tzu and Hsun Tzu. The following will be my learning and understanding of each philosopher's idea on the inborn good and evil of man.
Hsun Tzu, an exponent of the principles of Confucius, represents the realist wing and emphasized on social control and insisted upon the weakness of human nature. Hsun Tzu believes that the is evil. He thinks that at birth, men possess the passion for profit. When they follow this passion, they strive to "usurp all they can without regard for modesty and prudence". Men are born with hate and envy. When they follow these instincts, they seek the ruin of others without regard for ...

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to modesty and reason and yield to order (chan.52)."
It is because of theses desires that human nature is bad. If one gives in to such desires, three would be no order to the society. According to Husn Tzu, these desire are extremely compelling and may be overcome only under the restraint of law and the influence of ritual and righteousness. Hsun Tzu believes in the plasticity of man and his ability for improvement but, if man is left to himself, he will grow crooked.
"Crooked wood need to undergo steaming and bending; only then is it straight. Blunt metal needs to undergo grinding and whetting: only then is it sharp. The evil of human nature likewise needs to be rectified under the restraint of authority and laws and to be regulated under the observance of ritual and righteousness (chan.128)."
Kao Tzu, the man that combined the thinking of the philosophers prior to him and arranged them in a hierarchic order, holds a rather neutral stand on the innate nature of man. Kao ...

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Original Nature Of Man. (2006, August 31). Retrieved November 23, 2024, from http://www.essayworld.com/essays/Original-Nature-Of-Man/51648

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PAPER DETAILS

Added: 8/31/2006 07:40:31 PM
Category: English
Type: Premium Paper
Words: 1141
Pages: 5

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