scholarly journals Decoding Human Behaviour in Relation to Capital: An Analysis of Maugham’s The Ant and The Grasshopper in Light of Huxley’s ‘Selected Snobberies’

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 21-27
Author(s):  
Keya Chakraborty ◽  
Subrina Islam
Keyword(s):  
Human Nature ◽  
Human Behavior ◽  
Short Story ◽  
Fundamental Question ◽  
Human Behaviour ◽  
Economic Situation ◽  
Human Being ◽  
Aldous Huxley ◽  
Human Beings ◽  
Learned Behavior

This study aims to show the fictional and philosophical engagement of Aldous Huxley and Somerset Maugham in unveiling human behavior in relation to capital. Huxley in his sarcastic essay Selected Snobberies has described the nature, utility, types and sources of snobbish attitude in people. Most often snobbery stems out from an individual’s socio-economic situation and his consumerist nature. In the short story The Ant and the Grasshopper, Somerset Maugham has deconstructed the age old story of Aesop that is universally used worldwide to teach children the basic morality and work ethics. He reveals the peculiar desire of human beings to indulge in consumption in contrast with learned behavior of self-denial. This study focuses on the degenerative tendency that is outgrown in human nature through the analysis of George Ramsay from Maugham’s The Ant and the Grasshopper. In addition, this study analyses the changing nature of the idealistic tenets pertaining to the changing mode of time and situation. The binary existence of ethical tenets and the allurement of the consumerist world leads to question the value of its palpability, its effect on making people happy or snobbish. Now the fundamental question is how far a human being is capable of learning self-denial. Considering the reality of truth as not one and universal but multifaceted as Chakraborty (2020) claims, both Huxley and Maugham in these two literary pieces are interestingly inquisitive of the modernist ethics and redefine the means of success.

Homo biotechnologicus

Human Affairs ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 25 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Emil Višňovský
Keyword(s):  
Human Nature ◽  
Fundamental Question ◽  
Substantial Part ◽  
Human Being ◽  
Human Beings

AbstractThe paper outlines the concept of the human being as homo biotechnologicus. This concept is just one version of many possible human self-interpretations, since human beings can answer their own fundamental question of ‘who are we?’ simply using their ‘human, all too human’ self-descriptions. However, technology is a substantial part of the human being as a natural being, and biotechnology is, moreover, its root. The biotechnology of today’s world means that humanity is set on a path to transcending its own human nature, with all the risky consequences that entails. The author considers these radical developments from the standpoint of posthumanism

scholarly journals NILAI KEARIFAN LOKAL BUGIS MAKASSAR DALAM CERPEN PANGGIL AKU AISYAH KARYA THAMRIN PAELORI

2017 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 66 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sitti Aida Azis
Keyword(s):  
Social Status ◽  
Human Nature ◽  
Short Story ◽  
Human Being ◽  
Human Beings ◽  
Mutual Respect ◽  
Research Results ◽  
Qualitative Descriptive ◽  
Data Source

The purpose of research is to describe the values of local wisdom short story "Panggil Aku Aisyah" written by Thamrin Paelori. This research is in the form of qualitative descriptive that is expose and submit data objectively the values of local wisdom. The data in the study are: mutual respect (sipakatau), reminding each other (sipakainge), mutual respect (sipakalebbi). The data source is short story "Panggil Aku Aisyah" by Thamrin Paelori, first print. Based on the research results revealed that, respect for each other (sipakatau), is the human nature, which is looking at human beings not in terms of culture, race, religion and social status, remind each other (Sipakainge), is a mutual nature remind. Born as a human being is inseparable from a mistake and an oversight. Thus human beings should remind each other that no human being is perfectly born even though man is God's most perfect and deficient creation that will perfect man. Mutual respect (Sipakalebbi), reminds that humans are full of deficiencies and advantages, and need others, therefore, if there deficiency not be a measure and still see that humans there are advantages

Adolescência, mídia e drogas: O condicionamento do humano através de mecanismos midiáticos

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marciano Tribess
Keyword(s):  
Children And Adolescents ◽  
Mass Culture ◽  
Preventive Strategy ◽  
Human Being ◽  
Aldous Huxley ◽  
Human Beings ◽  
Society Of The Spectacle ◽  
Long Time ◽  
Michel Henry ◽  
The Media

This book presents the influence exerted by the media on children and adolescents in relation to the early experimentation with psychoactive substances. And the pedagogical-theological intervention as a preventive strategy. The influence on the human being through media mechanisms that condition him to the action expected by the conditioning, has been studied for a long time, by several authors such as Aldous Huxley with his book "Admirável Mundo Novo" that already addressed the conditionality of the human since the decade of 30. In the following decades, other theorists such as Edgar Morin and Guy Debord, analyzed how the human being is conditioned through mass culture and the society of the spectacle. The reality presented in relation to the conditioning of children and adolescents through the media has propelled the author, to seek preventive ways regarding the conditionality of human beings through the media. For that, it analyzed theorists like Paulo Freire and Michel Henry and their discoveries about the mediation of knowledge and the analysis of the Words of Christ and how they can contribute in the elaboration of pedagogical-theological interventions.

5. Ethics

2018 ◽  
pp. 65-76
Author(s):  
Brad Inwood
Keyword(s):  
Human Nature ◽  
Good Life ◽  
Self Control ◽  
The Good Life ◽  
Human Being ◽  
Human Beings ◽  
Wise Person ◽  
The Family

Ethics is the part of the Stoics’ legacy that is most prominent and influential today. Their theory of the good life for human beings falls into the family of theories associated with Socrates and his followers. This tradition includes Plato and most Platonists, Xenophon, the Cynics, Aristotle, and later Aristotelians, all of whom share the view that virtue, the excellence of a human being, is the highest value and is its own reward. ‘Ethics’ discusses the Stoics’ views on human nature and rationality; the four basic virtues: justice, courage, wisdom, and moderation or self-control; and the doctrine that the fully rational and wise person will be free of passions.

Fully Human Being

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jake Poller
Keyword(s):  
The Body ◽  
The Other ◽  
Human Being ◽  
Aldous Huxley ◽  
Human Beings ◽  
Mahayana Buddhism ◽  
Perennial Philosophy ◽  
Utopian Community ◽  
Mahāyāna Buddhism

In Island (1962), Aldous Huxley presents a utopian community in which theinhabitants aim to become "fully human beings" by realizing their "potentialities."I demonstrate how Huxley's notion of the "human potentialities" havebeen misrepresented, both by scholars and by the founders of the Esalen Institute.Huxley's focus on human potentialities arose from a shift in his thinkingfrom the other-worldly mysticism of The Perennial Philosophy (1945) to thelife-affirming traditions of Tantra, Zen and Mahayana Buddhism. In Island,the population attempt to realize their human potentialities and engage in anexperiential spirituality that celebrates the body and nature as sacred throughthe use of the moksha-medicine and the practice of maithuna. I argue thatwhereas Tantric adepts practised maithuna as a means to acquire supernormalpowers (siddhis), in Island the Palanese version of maithuna is quite differentand is used to valorize samsara and the acquisition of human potentialities.

Pragmatic Humanism and the Posthumanist Challenge: Between Biocentrism and the New Human Being

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. 70-84
Author(s):  
Ana Honnacker
Keyword(s):  
Human Nature ◽  
William James ◽  
Viable Alternative ◽  
Political Agency ◽  
Human Being ◽  
Human Beings ◽  
Human Capabilities ◽  
Human Potentials

Humanism is charged with fostering a harmful anthropocentrism that has led to the exploitation of non-human beings and the environment. Posthumanist and transhumanist ideas prominently aim at rethinking our self-understanding and human-nature relations. Yet these approaches turn out to be flawed when it comes to addressing the challenges of the “age of the humanity”, the Anthropocene. Whereas posthumanism fails in acknowledging the exceptional role of human beings with regard to political agency and responsibility, transhumanism overemphasizes human capabilities of controlling nature and only deepens the human-nature dualism. Therefore, a critical and humble version of humanism is suggested as a viable alternative. Drawing on pragmatist thinkers William James and F.C.S. Schiller, a resource for de-centering the human being is provided that critically reflects our role in the larger ecosystem and underlines human potentials as well as human responsibilities.

Human Nature and Human Science

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kristin Gjesdal
Keyword(s):  
Human Nature ◽  
Human Science ◽  
Human Being ◽  
Human Beings ◽  
Johann Gottfried Herder ◽  
Middle Point ◽  
Language And Culture ◽  
The Individual ◽  
The Church

It is difficult to accept that Johann Gottfried Herder (1744–1803), an influential philosopher of history, language, and culture, was a prolific preacher and clergyman. His apparent Spinoza connection, his agreement with the pre-critical Kant, and his alleged naturalism seem to contradict his unquestioning acceptance of God. But when the human being is considered as the middle point a reconstruction of Herder devoid of this dichotomy is possible. Herder’s religious anthropology understands human beings both as historical and religious beings, which gives rise to his rejection of Christianity in its actuality as the sole future religion. The church raised itself above the individual and destroyed religions, cultures, and languages, whereas Herder’s notion of human religion—for him a universal concept—allows individual nations, cultures, languages, and religions to remain particular. Central for the argument are Herder’s Christliche Schriften (1793–8), the Ideen (1801–4), and the Adrastea (1801–4).

A tribe called Europe? An “emotional” perception of reality

2018 ◽  
pp. 118-131
Author(s):  
Agnieszka Rothert
Keyword(s):  
Political Science ◽  
Human Behavior ◽  
Human Behaviour ◽  
Human Beings ◽  
Crucial Point ◽  
Emotional Perception ◽  
Political Structures ◽  
The Brain

A main goal of this essay is the analysis of the contemporary phase of evolution of European “organism” by using approaches from political science and neuroscience. The transdisciplinary perspective allows for better understanding of finer points of human behavior which can be lost only in political science analysis. My simple and obvious assumption is that politics is about people. Human beings create groups, communities, etc. If it is so, maybe we should start with looking more closely into mechanisms of the most important part of ourselves. The brain. It is responsible for all human behaviour. Another crucial point is the connection between humans and environment. The concept of co-evolution is fundamental and very useful when we want to show intertwining relations between interiority (brain, body) and externality (behaviour, social and political structures). Europe may be the very context for this analysis, but it is most of all our humanity.

The Phronimos and the Sage

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
May Sim
Keyword(s):  
Human Nature ◽  
Practical Wisdom ◽  
Human Being ◽  
Human Beings ◽  
Highest Good ◽  
Nature And Nurture ◽  
Similarities And Differences ◽  
Good For ◽  
Shed Light

Aristotle’s phronimos and Mencius’s sage are the paragons of virtue. They exemplify practical wisdom, enabling them to perform virtuous actions called for in different situations, and are the concrete models of virtue for all human beings, without whom others would not be able to cultivate their virtues. Aristotle and Mencius are also alike in holding that the virtues of character are based on human nature, and cultivation is key to achieving them. Despite these similarities, they differ in their accounts of human nature, details on the virtues, and how they are cultivated. Whether being the phronimos or the sage is the highest good for a human being, the degree of effectiveness he has on fellow citizens and the rest of the cosmos are issues about which they would disagree. Exploring similarities and differences between the phronimos and the sage will shed light on nature and nurture in their virtue-oriented ethics.

“Non potest non peccare”: Karl Barth on original sin and the bondage of the will

2018 ◽  
Vol 60 (2) ◽  
pp. 185-207
Author(s):  
Shao Kai Tseng
Keyword(s):  
Human Nature ◽  
Original Sin ◽  
Karl Barth ◽  
Human Being ◽  
Human Beings ◽  
Church Dogmatics ◽  
Historical Condition ◽  
History Of ◽  
The Will

Summary This article offers an exposition of Karl Barth’s actualistic reorientation of the Augustinian notions of original sin and the bondage of the will in § 60 and § 65 of Church Dogmatics IV/1–2. Barth redefines human nature as a total determination of the human being (Sein/Dasein) “from above” by the covenantal history of reconciliation. Human nature as such remains totally intact in the historical state of sin. The human being, however, is also determined “from below” by the Adamic world-history of total corruption. With this dialectical construal of sin and human nature, Barth redefines original sin as the radically sinful activities and decisions that determine the confinement of human beings to the historical condition of fallenness. Barth also challenges the famous Augustinian account of the bondage of the will to which original sin gives rise, and uses the present active indicative to express his actualistic reorientation of the Augustinian notion of the bondage: “non potest non peccare”.

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