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Over the last few decades, biology, psychology, anthropology, and cognate fields have substantially enriched traditional philosophical theories about who we are and where we come from. Nevertheless, the hallowed topic of human nature remains frustratingly elusive. Why have we not been able to crack the mystery? Marco J. Nathan provides an overview and explanation of recent research and argues that human nature is a core scientific concept that is not susceptible to an explanation, scientific or otherwise. He traces the scientific history of human nature to conclude that, as an
epistemological indicator, science cannot adequately grasp human nature without dissolving it in the process.
List of contents
- Preface
- 1. What's at Stake?
- 2. A Science of Human Nature?
- 3. Is There a Human Nature?
- 4. What Makes a Trait Innate?
- 5. Are We Genetically Determined?
- 6. Oppression or Emancipation Part (i): Human Races
- 7. Oppression or Emancipation Part (ii): Gender
- 8. Normality: Facts or Politics?
- 9. Should We Be Concerned About Enhancing Our Nature?
- 10. Can Science Explain Human Nature?
- Bibliography
About the author
Marco J. Nathan is Professor and Chair in the Department of Philosophy at the University of Denver. Nathan's research focuses on the philosophy of science, with particular emphasis on biology, neuroscience, cognitive psychology, and economics. He is the author of Black Boxes (OUP, 2021), as well as numerous articles, chapters, and edited volumes in philosophical and scientific venues.
Summary
Over the last fifty years, scholars in biology, psychology, anthropology, and cognate fields have substantially enriched traditional philosophical theories about who we are and where we come from.
The assumption of a shared human nature lies at the core of some of the most pressing socio-political issues of our time. From race to sex and gender, from medical therapy to disability, from biotechnological enhancement to transhumanism, all these timely debates presuppose a robust notion of human nature. Nevertheless, the riddle of human nature remains frustratingly elusive. Why? Marco J. Nathan here provides an accessible, detailed, and up-to-date overview of cutting-edge empirical research on human nature, including evolutionary psychology, critiques of essentialism, innateness, and genetic determinism, addressing the question of why these fields have failed to provide a full-blown theory of human nature.
Nathan's answer is that our nature is not the kind of notion that is susceptible to explanation. Human nature rather plays a crucial role as an epistemological indicator, a pivotal concept that sets out the agenda for much social, political, and normative discourse. Nevertheless, science cannot adequately grasp it without dissolving it in the process.
