• muddi [he/him]@hexbear.net
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    1 year ago

    “Human nature” is always some extremely narrow definition given by non-philosophers.

    Very quick philosophy lesson, “nature” basically means “essence” in one type of philosophy that thinks it’s okay to reduce things to qualities that “make” a thing. So human nature is what all humans have, without which they are literally no longer humans, but something else.

    Even then, this type of philosophy recognizes “accidental” properties, which are things that a thing can have without modifying its essence. So a swan is still a swan even if it has black feathers instead of white.

    Now for the frustrating part: a human being not being greedy, brutal, participating in capitalism, whatever should not be dehumanized. This is not human nature. There’s so much more interesting things about humanity that sets it apart from animality, like language and culture.