Machiavelli's Views On Human Nature

The concept of human nature and values have been heavily debated in philosophy and ethics for quite some time, and each philosopher holds certain human values above others. One philosopher whose ideas of human nature are particularly strong are those of Machiavelli. In The Prince, Machiavelli discusses his views of human nature and how they influence the acquisition and retention of power. Much of his opinion, which is negative and cynical, seems to come from his experiences and he concludes that most people are untrustworthy, have self-serving interests, and can be easily manipulated. In perhaps one of the most well-known parts of The Prince, Machiavelli asserts that it is better to be feared than loved because men are “…thankless, fickle,
Socrates believed that the human being and human nature were so important that they should be the primary concern of philosophy (Gregory & Giancola 3). He focused on the idea that human nature was formed through reasoning and stressed the importance of self-knowledge. In classic Socrates dialogues, such as his discussion with Euthyphro in Plato’s Euthyphro, Socrates attempts to guide others on the path to moral self-examination by helping them recognize their ignorance and believed that “the recognition of one’s ignorance is the starting point for all knowledge” (Gregory & Giancola 3). Essentially, from Socrates’ viewpoint, the ability to self-evaluate through reason and knowledge to know what constitutes good was the most important human
While most think of King as a preacher and famous civil rights leader, far fewer think of him as a philosopher. However his ideas and actions all focus on serving humanity. During a time of extreme racial segregation, injustice, and prejudice, King worked to achieve equality and justice for all through a commitment to “nonviolent and direct action against racial segregation” (Gregory & Giancola 255). In Letter From A Birmingham Jail, King addresses critics who call his activities “unwise and untimely” and asserts that the true foundation of a society is based on laws that are just, meaning that they uphold the dignity of all humans and are based on universal moral principles (Gregory & Giancola 256). Essentially, King justifies actions aimed at fighting equality based on the idea that if a law is not fair for everyone, then it should not be