Quote:
Originally Posted by Ascaloth
Why are you so absolutely certain that society, order and peace is the result of an innate good nature of humanity? Why are you so insistent on rejecting all other possible explanations of the origins of the human society?
Let's start with an established philosophical take on the nature of human beings, and the origins of the human society as we know it today:
From "The Social Contract, Or Principles of Political Rights" by Jean-Jacques Rousseau.
From this reasoning, it is not impossible to imagine that the reason we have society and civilization today is the result of a "social contract" that our forefathers made in the early days of humanity: namely, to give up the natural rights that each individual have in their state of nature, in order to gain the civil freedoms that we enjoy today; the right to life and individual liberty, amongst others. In that sense, the innate nature for humanity is not really "good" or "evil", but merely pragmatic.
Of course, I do not put forth the Social Contract Theory as the inalienable truth; I merely present it as the most academic embodiment of the viewpoints we have presented in opposition to yours. So, let me hear your thoughts on this; I wish to see what level of understanding of the human society you have beyond your religious paradigm, so that I may better understand on what level of intellectual maturity to debate this issue with you.  |
The theory of the social contract is always meant as a hypothesis, not an actual account of history. Rousseau wasn't the one who came up with it, he just altered it so that it was compatible with his own view on human nature, which was in fact supposed to be very noble. Given the post you quoted, I'd say you shot yourself in the foot by using Rousseau's version, instead of Hobbes', which would have supported your argument. No offense.
I'd say some degree of "goodness" is required to form a stable society. A Hobbesian society would still collapse, probably, because while society can be
formed by reason, it needs something more to remain in place. That's why Locke and Rousseau really improved the theory by adding an account of human goodness.